The April Basin Snow Water Index report has been released by the BC River Forecast Centre.
Most of the basins feeding into the Cariboo were slightly above average, and others were well above average.
The Quesnel basin, which houses Williams Lake and Quesnel, was reported to have 109% of the usual snowpack, which is 3% less than March 1st (112%). The North Thompson basin, which houses 100 Mile House, had 103% of the normal snowpack, 8% less than March 1st (111%). The Bridge-Middle Fraser basin also had 103% of the normal snowpack reported on April 1st, up 8% from March 1st (95%). The West Road-Chilcotin basin is reporting 125% of the normal snowpack, which is less than last month (132%)
The River Forecast Centre says 95% of the annual BC snowpack typically accumulates by early April, and peak snowpack usually occurs in mid-April. The River Forecast Centre says the warm temperatures expected next week are expected to initiate the freshet season with low elevation snowmelt and rises in streamflow.
The River Forecast Centre says snowpack is one risk factor for freshet flooding, but snowpack alone cannot predict if flooding will occur or not.