Rain in downtown Vernon (Vernon Matters file photo)

By Liam Verster

Drought Level 0

Okanagan no longer considered in a drought

Aug 21, 2025 | 11:04 AM

The Okanagan’s drought rating has fallen to the lowest possible level.

The B.C. River Forecast Centre said the region was at Drought Level 0 Thursday, Aug. 21, indicating the area’s conditions were normal or wetter than usual.

The decline from Level 1 the week before came as Vernon saw 8.6 millimetres of rainfall and an average daytime high of 26.2 degrees over the previous seven days. Kelowna also recorded 8.2 mm of precipitation and average daytime highs of 26.6 C° during that same period.

The Okanagan was one of 21 basins in B.C. with a ranking of Level 0, which also included the Lower Thompson, South Thompson, North Thompson, and Bridge areas.

“Recent rainfall brought widespread drought relief across much of the province, especially in coastal areas where precipitation totals were highest,” the River Forecast Centre’s weekly report stated.

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It was noted that drought conditions do persist in some areas, with the Similkameen still ranked at Level 4, the highest drought rating seen anywhere in B.C.

The River Forecast Centre added that a “thermal barrier in a section of Okanagan River south of the border continues to impact salmon migration,” and that Salmon River near Salmon Arm and Bessette Creek have low levels that could put the aquatic ecosystem at risk.

It also noted that prolonged warm and dry conditions were expected to start being seen throughout B.C. Thursday, which could cause the drought ratings to start to climb once again.