RT: @ThierryGooseBC Another very warm March day in British Columbia Interior, not that far from monthly records.

🌡️22.7°C Osoyoos
🌡️22.3°C Ashcroft
🌡️22.2°C Kamloops
🌡️21.7°C Salmon Arm
🌡️20.7°C Penticton
🌡️20.6°C Summerland
🌡️19.9°C Kelowna
#BCstorm

Atmospheric river brings ‘tremendous’ amount of rain to B.C. South Coast – BC

An atmospheric river is now expected to stick around until Friday as heavy rain continues to soak B.C.’s South…
#NewsBeep #News #Headlines #AtmosphericRiver #bcstorm #CA #Canada #Weather
https://www.newsbeep.com/441562/

Atmospheric river brings ‘tremendous’ amount of rain to B.C. South Coast

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://globalnews.ca/news/11736642/atmospheric-river-tremendous-rain-bc-south-coast/

New article: Not all snow is created equally: Understanding snow-water equivalent in the Pacific Northwest

https://ingallswx.com/2026/03/18/not-all-snow-is-created-equally-understanding-snow-water-equivalent-in-the-pacific-northwest/

#weather #snow #WAwx #ORwx #BCstorm

Not all snow is created equally: Understanding snow-water equivalent in the Pacific Northwest

If you’re a well-traveled skier, you know that not all snow is created equally. Some of it is heavy and dense while other areas experience light and fluffy snow. What matters when resource managers and meteorologists prepare for the summer is not the depth of the snow, but instead how much water this snow will become when it melts.

That’s where snow-water equivalent, or SWE, comes in. This measurement is essential for predicting whether the Pacific Northwest will have enough water to get through the dry season. When water managers in the region look ahead to summer, they’re not thinking about rainfall or reservoir levels directly. Instead, they’re focused on the mountains and how much liquid water is locked up in the snowpack.

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Snow-water equivalent is the amount of liquid water you’d get if you melted all the snow at that location. It’s measured in inches or millimeters, and it accounts for the fact that snow is mostly air. By measuring SWE instead of snow depth alone, water managers can compare snowpack across different regions and different years on equal footing.

The relationship between snow depth and water content is called the snow-water ratio. The “average” ratio is often cited as 10 to 1, meaning ten inches of snow contains about one inch of water. However, this average masks enormous variability depending on where the snow falls and what type it is.

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In the Cascade Range of Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia, maritime air masses dump heavy, wet snow that has earned the nickname Cascade Concrete. A foot of Cascade snow might contain two or even three inches of water, giving it a ratio closer to 4 to 1 or 5 to 1.

Head south to Utah’s Wasatch Mountains, and you’ll find the famous light powder that skiers dream about. That snow can have ratios of 15 to 1 or even higher, with a foot of snow containing less than an inch of water.

The snow that falls in places like Minnesota and Manitoba can be even lighter and fluffier. Those continental regions sometimes see ratios of 20 to 1 or more, where massive snowfall totals translate to surprisingly modest water content.

The differences come down to temperature and moisture. Cold, dry air produces light snow. Warmer, moister air creates denser snow that packs down and contains more water. The ratio can even vary widely from storm to storm over the course of a season.

For the Pacific Northwest, SWE measurements matter because they tell the real story of what the mountains hold. A healthy snowpack acts as a natural reservoir, continuing to feed rivers and reservoirs into early summer even after the region’s wet season has ended.

By April, when water managers make their summer forecasts, they’ve analyzed the snowpack across hundreds of mountain locations. Those measurements tell them whether next summer will bring plenty of water or whether restrictions might be necessary to keep water flowing for all users.

The Atmospheric River is not done with us yet. Next wave should have the most precip.

Rain and wind starts again tonight and continues through Wednesday.

Very West Coast focused.

The model has backed off a little for the central/inland Island and the east coast north of duncan is surprisingly dry.

Victoria and Port Alberni might get similar amounts, around 20-40mm, whereas Nanaimo and Courtenay get less.
#PortAlberni #BCStorm

Atmospheric river brings about 150 mm of rain to B.C.’s South Coast

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://globalnews.ca/news/11733409/atmospheric-river-150-mm-rain-bc-south-coast/