What weather to expect this holiday season and beyond

With the holiday season upon us, what are the chances B.C. will have a little snow in time for the festivities?

Global News meteorologist Kristi Gordon says that our weather conditions this winter will most likely be driven by “the blob.” The blob, simply put, is a large area of abnormally warm sea surface temperatures which exists off of the West Coast. This will mean slightly above normal air temperatures, on average, for B.C.

Having said that, we will see the occasional arctic outbreak this winter. According to Gordon, the blob can also alter the typical meandering of the jet stream and cause it to, at times, develop a blocking ridge. Pressure can then build and force an arctic outbreak.

On a more local scale, this will, at times, mean an arctic outbreak for the South Coast too. This is where cold Arctic air will break out from the B.C. interior and onto the coast, giving the South Coast cold stormy weather and potential snow.

So while “the blob” will cause warmer than average temperatures this year, it may also cause sudden temperature drops that may provide for increased snow on B.C.’s mountains and an increased chance of snow for the holiday season.

Global News chief meteorologist Mark Madryga is quick to point out the holidays are still too far off to forecast for, he says there is a higher chance of snow on Christmas than in the past few years.

Alyssa Charbonneau, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, says their forecast is calling for Vancouver and Victoria to have a 10 per cent chance of a White Christmas, while Kamloops has a 51 per cent chance, Kelowna 63 per cent, Penticton 29 per cent, and Prince George takes the lead with a 92 per cent chance.

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There are a couple of places in Canada with a 100 per cent chance of White Christmas, including Whitehorse and Yellowknife.

Metro Vancouver’s last White Christmas was in 2008 when 41 centimetres of snow was recorded.