The winter season in Northern BC could see a weak La Nina.
Environment Canada is predicting colder than normal temperatures with a slight chance of increased precipitation for the Bulkley Valley and Lakes District.
The current weather pattern has worked out well to this point.
“For the first 10 days of November we had that early Arctic air mass coming to the province where we were sitting four to 10 degrees below normal and then between November 10th and 20th we were sort of near to slightly below normal,” says Lisa West, Meteorologist.
A mid-week warm-up is being predicted with temperatures ranging anywhere between plus three and plus nine degrees, something that isn’t uncommon for La Nina West says.
“The El Nino, La Nina discussion is always an interesting one to have because although it does favour colder than normal temperatures differently and it certainly doesn’t rule out things like Pineapple Express events, rain and snow events and tricky driving conditions.”
“Precipitation trends with La Nina and El Nino is a lot less robust and then looking at the temperature trends associated with those events. If there’s a slightly increased chance of more precipitation and that’s too early say that by the time you get to the end of the winter and we look back on this season, was there was there more or less precipitation, now whether that falls in terms of snow or rain has yet to be decided.”
In the Bulkley Valley and Lakes District, the warm-up is not expected until Friday.