Vernon Matters file photo

By Liam Verster

High Pressure System

Brief burst of warmth expected to start the spring

Mar 20, 2025 | 2:05 PM

The Okanagan could see a bit of a warm spell to kick off the spring.

The spring equinox occurred at 2 a.m. Thursday, Mar. 20, and Lisa Erven, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, said the spring can bring all sorts of weather including snow and rain, heat, and thunderstorms, and that all those should be on display over the coming weeks.

Erven told Vernon Matters that the forecast showed cooler than normal temperatures with a risk of showers in the valley and flurries in the higher elevations until about the afternoon of Sunday, March 23, but then the Okanagan should get a burst of warmth.

“In the high map system we have a ridge of high pressure coming up from the U.S., bringing with it a much warmer air mass,” the meteorologist said.

“If you haven’t checked out the forecast already, we will have some temperatures into the mid- to high-teens next week.”

Grass Fire

Fire crews extinguish grass fire in Okanagan Landing Friday

13h ago

Transit Enhancements

Coldstream moving ahead with securing nearly $5M for transit enhancements

14h ago

2024 Year End Transfers

City of Vernon's year end transfers totals over $759,000

16h ago

Erven noted the daytime highs could hit around 17 or 18 degrees during the warm spell, which would be about five degrees above normal and possibility break daily high records.

Following about a week of high-teen temperatures, Erven said the ridge of high pressure should break apart, with the mercury falling back to seasonal levels around the end of March.

The high pressure ridge was also expected to push out clouds, creating dry conditions in the Okanagan over the week.