Unusual December weather provides 'green' Christmas, New Years
By Lone Sheep Publishing
The holiday season was very unusual with no snow on the ground for both Christmas and New Years said the Southeast Fire Weather Centre.
“(It’s) very unusual to have both a green Christmas and a green New Years,” said the Southeast Fire Weather Centre in its monthly weather synopsis.
The Southeast Fire Weather Centre said December started off on a seasonal note with snow falling on the first three days from pacific systems overriding fairly cold air at the surface.
However on December 4 (2023) Southeast Fire Weather Centre said the upper flow took a sharp pivot to southwesterly and a Pineapple Express type of pattern developed, a stalled front that draped itself over the West Kootenay through December 8, dropping 62 mm of rain through this period.
Snow arrived again on December 9th, but that weather was followed by a dry period through Dec 18 when the snowpack in town again dwindled to nothing.
“Christmas was green, and winter tried to return once again with some snow on Christmas night, which turned to slush and melted within a couple of days as a mild and somewhat gloomy southerly flow dominated through New Years with temperatures remaining for the most part a few degrees above the zero mark and light rain or drizzle now and again,” Southeast Fire Weather Centre said.
“New Year’s Eve was green.”
Temperature stats for December said the mean temperature for the month was 0.7, almost (three) 3 degrees above the 30-year average of -2.1.
“This was in sharp contrast to December 2022 which was nearly (three) 3 degrees below average,” Southeast Fire Weather Centre said.
“The rainfall was over double the average at 74.3 mm, while by contrast the snowfall was less than half the average at 27.8 cm.
“Total precipitation was 102 mm vs an average of 90.3 mm. 28.7 mm of rain on Dec 6 during the “pineapple express” event was a record for that day.”
Record-breaking cold snap
January started much the same as December concluded with snow finally arriving during the early part of the month, along with a recent deep freeze due to an “entrenched” Arctic air mass that lingered over the province last weekend, breaking temperature records throughout the Southern Interior.
On January 12th, Cranbrook saw the daily temperature stay below -23 C, snapping the previous record of -21.7 C while Creston’s previous record was -15 C, and the new record is -16.9 C.
Other lowest daily maximum temperatures included:
- Castlegar: New record of -14.4 C, old record of -10.6 C set in 1998
- Nakusp: New record of -14.9 C, old record of -12.2 C set in 1971
- Sparwood: New record of -26.8 C, old record of -22.2 C set in 1971
- Trail: New record of -14.1 C, old record of -12.8 C set in 1930
Snowfall Warning for West Kootenay/Boundary
The cold weather is turning to snowfall as Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning for Boundary/West Kootenay with total amounts of 15 to 20 cm is expected beginning Tuesday and into Wednesday evening.
- Boundary, Lower Arrow Lake — including Highway 6, West Kootenay
- Trail, Rossland, Nelson, Kootenay Lake – southern section
- East Kootenay – south including Elko, Grasmere, Roosville
“A cold front will combine with a Pacific low pressure system and bring snow, heavy at times into southern BC,” Environment Canada said.
“Snow will start tonight and become heavy overnight.
“Total snowfall amounts near 15 to 20 cm can be expected before the snow tapers off Wednesday evening.”
Weather in the mountains, including Highway 3 Paulson Summit to Kootenay Pass, can change suddenly resulting in hazardous driving conditions.
Road conditions are available at drivebc.ca.
