Mountain Weather Forecast

Cold spell is already in the news. But before that, a strong ridge of high pressure will build over the southern half of B.C. today bringing a clearing day to the region as well as high freezing levels. Freezing level will exceed 2500m over Vancouver Island with temperature near mountaintop exceeding 5 degree C. For the southern mainland Coastal Mountains the freezing level will remain near 1000m with an above freezing layer forecast from 1500 to 2500m. Freezing level over north Rockies can reach near 2000m this evening as the ridge reaches its maximum strength.

A cold front over White Pass this morning will move southward today and locate over northern Coastal mountains this evening. The cold front will stretch over Cariboos tonight by the westerly jet stream and finally move to the south Thursday night as the upper level flow turns northwesterly.

An Arctic front will move over Peace River region on Friday and sweep across the province on Saturday, marking the onset of a cold spell at least through first half of next week.

1 of 0

The 500mb animation shows the upper ridge of high pressure over the south coast building northeastward today. A jet stream (packed 500mb height, solid black lines) aiming White Pass area from the south this morning will become west to east over northern B.C. this evening. The ridge of high pressure is confined over the southern half of the province.

The upper ridge will begin to build northwestward on Thursday over the Gulf of Alaska, steering the upper level winds over B.C. to become northwesterly. A weak upper trough embedded in the northwest flow will push the cold front over northern Coastal Mountain and Cariboos southward on Thursday night.

While the whole province will cool down under the northwest flow on Friday, an upper trough will drive an arctic front to cross from northeast to southwest on Saturday, bringing real arctic air to the region.