B.C. snowpack at 73% of normal, renewing drought, wildfire, electricity concerns
Global News
The BC River Forecast Centre's latest Snow Survey and Water Supply Bulletin says the provincial snowpack was at just 73 per cent of normal for March 1.
The latest snowpack data in British Columbia is raising concerns about yet another potential season of drought.
The BC River Forecast Centre’s latest Snow Survey and Water Supply Bulletin says the provincial snowpack was at just 73 per cent of normal for March 1.
“It’s less likely to be a dramatic season for flooding,” forecast centre hydrologist Jonathan Boyd said.
“When we do have lower snowpack like this year it does increase the hazard for drought, and associated with drought is wildfire.”
Extremely dry conditions in the first half of February were offset by stormy weather later in the month, which pushed the provincewide snowpack up by about one per cent, Boyd added.
While snowpack levels are below where officials would like to see them, they are fortunately up from this time last year when provincewide B.C. was at just 66 per cent of normal.
That has been driven largely by snow levels 30 per cent higher on the South Coast than in 2024.
By region, the Chilcotin had the weakest snowpack, sitting at just 16 per cent of normal. The Liard District had the most snow, sitting at 98 per cent of normal.
