Okanagan weather: Cold, brisk forecast until weekend

Bundle up: It’s going to be brisk and chilly in B.C.’s Southern Interior for the next 72 hours or so.

An arctic airmass has moved south, accompanied by gusting winds, and is parked over the province. Temperatures have dropped significantly from Tuesday, with some areas seeing the mercury fall 10 to 15 degrees below average.

Environment Canada has issued several weather warnings, such as extreme cold for the Chilcotin and Elk Valley regions, but none for the Southern Interior.

In the Chilcotin and Elk Valley areas, the national weather agency is calling for frigid overnight temperatures (-20 to -30 C) for Wednesday and Thursday, along with wind chill values ranging from -30 to -40.

For the Southern Interior, the temperatures won’t be anywhere near as cold, with Thursday night projected to be the coldest at around -14 C.

The cold weather should end by Saturday, with clouds and snow moving in, along with seasonable daily highs of -2 to 2 C and overnight lows of -5 to -6 C.

2:12 Kelowna Weather Forecast: February 21

Below are the regional forecasts from Environment Canada.

Salmon Arm

• Wednesday: Mix of sun and cloud with a 60 per cent chance of flurries. Winds from the north at 20 km/h. High: -3 C. Low: -10 C. Wind chill: -7 to -13.
• Thursday: Mainly sunny with northeast winds at 20 km/h. High: -5 C. Low: -15 C. Wind chill: -7 to -13.
• Friday: Sunny: -7 C. Low: -10 C.
• Saturday: Cloudy with flurries. High: -2 C. Low: -5 C.
• Sunday: Cloudy with periods of snow: 2 C. Low: -6 C.

Vernon

• Wednesday: Cloudy. Periods of snow during the day with a 40 per cent chance of overnight flurries. Wind gusting 20 to 40 km/h from the north. High: -3 C. Low: -10 C. Wind chill: -9 to -17.
• Thursday: Mainly sunny with 20 km/h winds from the northwest. High: -6 C. Low: -14 C. Wind chill: -8 to -17.
• Friday: Sunny: -6 C. Low: -11 C.
• Saturday: Cloudy with periods of snow. High: -1 C. Low: -4 C.
• Sunday: Cloudy with periods of snow: 2 C. Low: -6 C.

1:53 B.C. evening weather forecast: Feb. 21

Kelowna

• Wednesday: Cloudy with a 60 per cent chance of flurries. Winds gusting 20 to 60 km/h from the northwest. High: -3 C. Low: -10 C. Wind chill: -12 to -13.
• Thursday: Sunny with 30 km/h winds from the northwest. High: -5 C. Low: -14 C. Wind chill: -8 to -14.
• Friday: Sunny: -6 C. Low: -11 C.
• Saturday: Cloudy with periods of snow. High: -1 C. Low: -4 C.
• Sunday: Cloudy with periods of snow: 2 C. Low: -6 C.

3:30 Edmonton weather forecast: Tuesday, February 21, 2023

Penticton

• Wednesday: Cloudy with a 60 per cent chance of flurries. Winds gusting 20 to 50 km/h from the north. High: -1 C. Low: -8 C. Wind chill: -9 to -12.
• Thursday: Mainly sunny with 20 to 40 km/h winds from the north. High: -2 C. Low: -14 C. Wind chill: -10.
• Friday: Sunny: -6 C. Low: -11 C.
• Saturday: Cloudy with periods of snow. High: -1 C. Low: -4 C.
• Sunday: Cloudy with periods of snow: 2 C. Low: -6 C.

Osoyoos

• Wednesday: Cloudy with a 60 per cent chance of flurries. Winds gusting 20 to 50 km/h from the north. High: -1 C. Low: -8 C. Wind chill: -9 to -12.
• Thursday: Mainly sunny with 20 to 40 km/h winds from the north. High: -2 C. Low: -14 C. Wind chill: -10.
• Friday: Sunny: -6 C. Low: -11 C.
• Saturday: Cloudy with periods of snow. High: -1 C. Low: -4 C.
• Sunday: Cloudy with periods of snow: 2 C. Low: -6 C.

2:44 Couple cold days before warmer weekend: Feb. 22 Saskatchewan weather outlook