There is a heightened risk of an early start to the wildfire season in British Columbia this year, according to a national forecaster.
The Weather Network is predicting warmer-than-average temperatures in the province this spring.
It’s also expecting dry weather, meaning “even more days of pleasant spring weather than normal.”
“March will start off cool and unsettled, with much-needed snow for the alpine regions, including the ski areas,” senior meteorologist Doug Gillham wrote.
“However, as we get deeper into the season, we expect that warmer-than-normal temperatures and drier-than-normal conditions will dominate.”
That means spring flooding is “less of a concern this year” due to below-average snowpack levels, he added.
But the negatives are significant – a shorter ski season and an increased risk of early fires.
Looking at the rest of Canada, Gillham said the country has experienced an “extraordinarily mild winter.”
“Spring in Canada is known for its flip-flopping weather patterns as we move from winter to summer,” he explained.
“This season, though, we anticipate even more dramatic temperature swings and bursts of winter-like conditions disrupting the path to consistent warmth.”
He added: “On the whole, we expect that above-average temperatures will predominate over cold conditions for the majority of Canadians in the upcoming spring, with the exception of eastern Canada, notably Atlantic Canada, where stretches of warmth will be more closely balanced with chilly spells, leading to temperatures approaching normal levels.”
