Great news! It’s going to be a gloomy weekend.
That would be an unwelcome announcement under normal circumstances. But we’re dealing with a severe drought across Western Canada and it’s the start of wildfire season, so any little bit helps.
Periods of rain will sweep across the region through the weekend as an unsettled pattern builds over British Columbia. We’re even looking at the potential for beneficial snows for higher elevations along the South Coast and Rockies.
CANADA’S WILDFIRES: Visit The Weather Network’s wildfire hub to keep up with the latest on the active start to wildfire season across Canada.
This weekend: Gloom is good in a drought
We’re locked into a wet and gloomy pattern across B.C. heading into the final few days of April.
An upper-level low spinning just off the coast will shove several disturbances into southern B.C. through this weekend.
These disturbances will tap into plumes of elevated moisture streaming in from the south, providing plenty of opportunities for rain and snow from Vancouver Island into the Interior.
The weekend won’t be a complete washout, but we will see periods of on-and-off rain move into B.C. through Saturday and Sunday.
Rainfall totals on the order of 30-50 mm are likely for western Vancouver Island and much of the South Coast, with around 50 mm expected north of the Fraser River.
Temperatures will come 3-5 degrees than seasonal this weekend as the upper-level low and thick clouds make their presence known.
SEE ALSO: Officials already preparing for potentially active 2024 wildfire season in B.C.
Falling freezing levels will allow precipitation to fall as snow at higher elevations across the South Coast and the Rockies. Snow is even possible down into some of the mountain passes into early next week.
The precipitation arriving this weekend will help as we head into wildfire season, but it’ll fall far short of what we need to meaningfully put a dent in the drought. B.C. officials are concerned about the fire risk over the coming weeks as drought covers vast swaths of vulnerable land across the province.
Looking ahead, forecasters see unsettled conditions and near or slightly below-seasonal temperatures sticking around into the first week of May.
Check back for all the latest on your forecast across British Columbia.