It has definitely been snowier in Kelowna this winter - this from Environment Canada Meteorologist Matt MacDonald.
"We're nearing 120 cms of snow so far for the Kelowna area this winter and that's compared to 88 cms last winter, so it's not peoples' imaginations, it has indeed been a snowy winter," he says.
MacDonald says that's not a record-breaking amount of snow - we haven't even cracked the top five this year - but he does say it has been colder.
"Last winter was extremely mild, it was 2-and-a-half degrees warmer than normal, and this winter is 2-and-a-half degrees colder than normal, so complete opposite ends of the spectrum," says MacDonald. "(This winter is) actually the 8th coldest on record."
MacDonald says there are a couple of reasons for the difference this winter. The first being a change from a strong El Nino current last year that brought warm, mild conditions to BC - to this year's weak La Nina current - bringing colder than normal waters to the Pacific.
"Another part is the natural variablility of weather. We've seen a number of arctic outbreaks this winter. We typically see two or three, but this winter we saw six arctic outbreaks with some lasting as two weeks back in January," says MacDonald. "So, that persistent northerly flow has been very stubborn to get washed out this winter."
MacDonald says temperatures will warm-up to above normal by the weekend and any precipitation in the valley bottom will likely be rain - but the highway passes could see another round of heavy snow Saturday and Sunday.
Looking ahead to the summer - MacDonald says the weak La Nina is fizzling out leading to a return of neutral conditions for the first time in three years. He says this means near normal conditions for the summer, but he reminds us summer is still a long way off.