Vernon was cooler and drier than usual in May

Jun 4, 2024 | 5:00 AM

Despite the cloudy weather seen through much of May, Vernon had a drier-than usual month.

Chris Doyle, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, told Vernon Matters the average precipitation for the month is 36 milimetres in May.

“Vernon picked up 31.8 milimetres [of precipitation],” Doyle said.

“One day (May 22), it rained 13.1 milimetres, but the total for the month was 31.8, which was about 85 per cent of average.”

While not as wet as usual, the mercury was lower than average.

Crime Prevention

Vernon RCMP urges people to "lock out auto crime"

3h ago

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Destination Silver Star recognized for environmental, sustainability work

3h ago

Last seen Monday

Police asking for help locating missing man

6h ago

“It was about a few degrees below the average temperature for the time of year at 13.5 [degrees],” Doyle said.

“May of 2023, last year, was [an average of] 17.9. If you recall that was when we got an early taste of summer. But this year that wasn’t the case.”

June started off with some rainy days, but that’s not expected to last too long.

The short term forecast calls for the clouds to break up and for sunny days starting Wednesday, June 5, with the temperatures climbing to a high of 32 by Saturday the 8th.

Doyle said after these sunny hot days, the weather could become cooler and wetter again, though that shouldn’t last too long.

“The seasonal forecast is suggesting that June should be, on balance, a little wetter than the average June, and a little bit warmer,” the meteorologist said.

“But that turns around a little bit for July and August, where both of our measurements, both precipitation and temperature, are going in the wrong direction with precipitation forecasted to be below average and temperature a bit above.”

Doyle noted the Okanagan has been in a moisture deficit since last September, and while the recent precipitation has helped somewhat, the region is still very dry.

“We’re running at about two-thirds of average precipitation for the whole area, for the whole valley, and that is of course reflected in moderate to severe drought conditions that persist,” Doyle explained.

He added rain in the summer months doesn’t do much to address drought conditions as it evaporates quickly, and said it would require significant more rainfall in the latter months of the year to get the area back to normal conditions.

by Liam Verster

View Comments