You may have noticed that it’s been cold outside lately.
Yes, it is winter, but temperatures have dropped to below freezing as an arctic front descends on much of the province that will last over the next few days, according to a meteorologist with Environment Canada.
“It’s very normal for this time of year,” said Cindy Yu. “We see lots of cold air travelling on the east side of the Rockies into the prairies and into Ontario, but from time to time, they do tend to slip through the valleys of the BC Interior, and that’s the case.
“We’ve had cold air sitting in the region for a few days now.”
Temperatures have dipped over the last few days, culminating with a high of -17 Celsius on Boxing Day, according to data from Environment Canada.
“Our normal for this time of year is around -3 Celsius for an afternoon high and overnight low should be around a -11 Celsius,” said Yu, “so it’s definitely cooler than normal for sure.”
The lower temperatures could last over the weekend into the New Year, she added.
Along with colder temperatures, Yu says there could also be some snow. As of press time on Thursday, there had been a light dusting of snowfall in the Cranbrook area.
“Weather-wise, we are expecting a few pulses of moisture to move over southeastern BC over the next couple of days,” Yu said.
“…there is a weather system moving across BC [Thursday] that could bring one or two centimetres of snow for Cranbrook and Friday, there is another pulse coming through again. So between Friday night and Saturday, we could get five to seven centimetres of snow during that period.”
Mainroad East Kootenay Contracting is warning drivers about the snowfall that is expected over the next few days.
The company says it will be on patrol to respond to the conditions as they change, according to a news release. The company is advising drivers not to pass lows as they work on the roads, noting that passing a low truck can put both vehicles at risk.