British Columbia鈥檚 snow pack is lower than normal, according to the province鈥檚 May 1 data.
The Snow Survey and Water Supply Bulletin, from the province鈥檚 Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, showed that as of May 1, the provincial snowpack was 71 per cent of normal levels for that date.
By comparison, the April 1 snow pack was 79 per cent of normal.
Throughout the winter, the provincial snow pack figures have been below normal in much of the province.
The low snow pack is reminiscent of 2024, when the snow pack was lower than normal throughout the year, and 66 per cent of normal on May 1.
The snow pack is at zero per cent of normal in the Upper Fraser West region and five per cent of normal in the Skagit region.
Elsewhere, snow levels were also below normal levels in all areas except the Liard region in northern British Columbia. There, the snow pack on May 1 was 128 per cent of normal levels.
The Okanagan region had a snow pack level of 67 per cent of normal, while the Similkameen Valley was at 49 per cent of normal.
The East and West Kootenay and Upper Columbia regions all trended lower than normal.
The snow pack in the South Coast was 74 per cent of normal, while the Central Coast had a snow pack of 44 per cent of normal. Vancouver Island鈥檚 May 1 snow pack was 70 per cent of normal.
Snow melt is happening earlier than normal, the snow report states.
At automated stations, 15 per cent of the seasonal snow pack had melted by May 1, and by May 8, around 27 per cent had melted. Typically, five per cent of the annual snow pack has melted by this time.
Temperatures were above normal in April, with warm temperatures recorded in Kelowna, Dease Lake and Chetwynd. Precipitation was lower throughout much of the province as well.
The forecast for May calls for wetter than normal weather in parts of norther B.C., but drier conditions in the southern part of the province.
Because of the low snow pack, early melt and warm seasonal weather forecasts, the risk of drought is elevated this year.
鈥淭here are concerns for drought this season throughout the province due to long-term precipitation deficits, low snowpack and seasonal weather forecasts,鈥� the report states. 鈥淪pring weather will continue to play an important role in summer drought conditions.鈥�
However, despite these trends and forecasts, the risk of flooding also exists.
The report states that snow levels are not the only factor in seasonal flooding in the province. May and June are typically wet throughout the B.C. Interior, with the potential for extreme precipitation patterns. In the Rockies and the Northeast, the flood season can extend into July.
