Okanagan weather: Valley snow possible before Christmas

With Christmas fast approaching, many in the valley might be getting anxious for some snow.

Kelowna has a 63% chance of a white Christmas, statistically speaking, and while the week before Christmas was green, there is a chance of valley snow in the forecast.

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A wave of wind, with a powerful system sweeping through the province, prompted Environment Canada to issue a special weather statement for the Okanagan for winds up to 50 km/h with gusts of 80 km/h possible Thursday afternoon.

Following a round of rain to start the day, the winds will pick up, starting southerly, then transition to westerly as a cold front presses through after the region reaches an afternoon high back in mid-single digits.

The chance of rain picks back up Thursday night and into early Friday morning, with wet snow possible at higher elevations in the valley and heavy snow possible on some mountain highways.

Skies start to clear as winds ease early Friday, with temperatures only making it a few degrees above freezing under a mix of sun and cloud during the day.

After a day in between systems on Friday, the next one is on deck for Saturday, with clouds and a chance of valley bottom flurries on Saturday. Pockets of snow are possible also on Sunday.

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Daytime highs should stay a few degrees above freezing this weekend and also for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

There is one more chance of snow Christmas Eve, which could be enough to bring about the 2 centimetre threshold required for Environment Canada to consider it a white Christmas on Christmas Day.

The big day is looking mostly cloudy with a slight chance of a few flurries with an afternoon high around 1 degree before temperatures fall below freezing for Boxing Day with a better chance of snow.

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