After wintertime in the Okanagan and Shuswap 鈥渟tarted with a roar鈥� in 2022, the region appears to be following a different seasonal script this year as December inches closer.
Environment Canada says 麻豆精选, Vernon and Penticton, Salmon Arm have yet to record temperatures this November of at least -10 C.
Such statistics come one year after a pair of November cold snaps in the region, including one within the month鈥檚 first two weeks.
鈥淭he first cold snap that comes in the November period has not occurred and we do not see one in the next couple of weeks,鈥� said Armell Castellan, a meteorologist at Environment Climate Change Canada.
Experts have called it a mild November in the Okanagan, with mean temperatures in 麻豆精选, Vernon and Penticton hovering anywhere between 1 to 2 C warmer than normal.
It鈥檚 also been a drier-than-normal November, too. Castellan says that trend dates back to the summer.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a little less mild as we come closer to finishing off the month, but nothing too dramatic when it comes to cold,鈥� Castellan explained.
Don鈥檛 be surprised, though, if overnight temperatures start hitting lows of -7 and -8 C over the next week, the meteorologist added.
鈥淲inter last year definitely started with a bit of a roar, as you had the third and fourth coldest Novembers on record in Penticton, 麻豆精选, and Vernon,鈥� Castellan said. 鈥淚t was also much wetter last year. 鈥淭here鈥檚 definitely a contrast from last year鈥his November has been quite benign.鈥�
Although double-digit below-zero temperatures have yet to hit the region in November, those who spent some of their Halloween weekend outdoors may remember one particularly cold night.
Castellan says Penticton experienced lows of -10 C on Oct. 28. That mark came after a warmer-than-normal October, a month that produced 23 days of temperatures above 10 C.
Temperatures, while still mild, have dropped closer to normal levels in November, the meteorologist added.
Although there is a 30 to 40 per cent chance of flurries in the Okanagan and Shuswap on Wednesday, Nov. 22, conditions are expected to stay dry until the beginning of next week. People can expect daytime temperatures to range between -2 C and 0 C during this time.
Environment Canada recognizes the start of winter on Dec. 1.
鈥淎 -10 C is not impossible once get past this weekend (Nov. 25 and 26)鈥ut I would be surprised if we saw it to cap off the month and then I don鈥檛 see something extremely cold into the first couple days of December, either,鈥� Castellan said.
READ MORE: Freezing rain, ice on the way to Okanagan, Kootenays
.png;w=120;h=120;mode=crop)
