March turning out to be one of Metro Vancouver’s driest on record
Posted March 27, 2019 11:54 am.
Last Updated March 27, 2019 11:57 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – We haven’t needed the umbrella that much over the past few weeks, and this unseasonably dry weather is lowering the risk of flooding in B.C.
This March is on pace to be one of the driest on record.
Just 33 mm of precipitation has been recorded at YVR this month, which is less than a third of what we typically get.
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Dave Campbell with the River Forecast Centre says small creeks and streams are running low as a result. “Many of them, about a week ago, were approaching record low for the time of year, through to the southwest corner of B.C.”
“Relative to the Lower Mainland, the Fraser side of things is a little bit below normal. Province-wide as well, there are no regions that are sticking out as having an elevated risk.”
Campbell points out the Fraser River is more dependent on the snowpack. So, the true test will be what happens over the next few weeks, as the melt continues.
The dry weather is having the greatest impact on small creeks and streams, which are more dependent on precipitation.
“If it continues to be dry, some of these rivers that aren’t fed by snow could start to see problems as we get into the summer,” Campbell said.
