It was a taste of early winter for many Cariboo residents that saw heavy snowfall earlier today.
Meteorologist Armel Castellan with Environment Canada says one centimeter of flurries was observed at the Williams Lake airport.
“It is a little bit unusual,” Castellan said.
“You know it is early, there’s no doubt about that. There’s normally not that much snow at this time of year, but at the same time a blast of winter, a blast of cold air from the north can happen.”
Castellan while in astronomical terms we’re still in summer, September 1st in meteorological terms, however, marks the beginning of fall.
He says as temperatures will rise from earlier this morning, any precipitation that does fall will be in the form of rain.
“The result of having had this deep upper trough invade the province and with it, a front that came through yesterday, with it was some snow for further north into the Peace Country and then certainly temperatures plummeting into what could only be described as a mini blast of winter,” Castellan said.
“Of course it’s not going to altogether last too long, but it certainly was enough to break a few records or come close.”
In Williams Lake:
The lowest maximum temperature recorded Wednesday at 8.3 degrees broke the previous 1992 record of 9.2 degrees
Thursday the lowest maximum temperature reached 7.2 degrees placing it at second behind the 1992 record of 4.7 degrees.
The lowest minimum temperature was minus 2.5 degrees Thursday morning placing it behind the 1970 record of minus 5.
In Quesnel: records go back to 1892.
On Wednesday the lowest maximum temperature of 10.2 broke the 1903 record of 11.1 degrees.
Thursday’s lowest maximum temperature of 9.3 degrees is in third behind the 1992 record of 9.0 degrees and the 1895 record of 8.9.
Castellan says no lowest minimum records were broken despite seeing it dip down minus 4.1 on Thursday.
At Puntzi Mountain:
Wednesday’s lowest maximum temperature of 12.6 degrees is in behind the 1970 record of 11.7.
Thursday saw the 2004 record of 9.5 degrees broken by the lowest maximum temperature of 7.8 degrees.
A precipitation record was also broken on Tuesday and Wednesday. 2.5 millimeters of precipitation broke September 11th’s 2010 record of 2.2 millimeters. Wednesday sees 12.4 millimeters of precipitation recorded breaking the 1969 record of 9.9 millimeters.
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