Cold snap
Another bout of precipitation is forecast for the south coast Friday and Saturday. Then things turn cold.
Over the past week a broad ridge has established itself over the eastern Pacific. Meanwhile a deep arctic vortex has been anchored over the Hudson Bay area, setting up a northwesterly flow in the upper levels across BC.
A disturbance brewing over the Gulf of Alaska has managed to disturb the ridge. This system will make its way across the south coast Saturday and head into Washington Sunday. In its wake the ridge will rebound with more authority and create a cold northerly flow over the province.
There is some uncertainty with regard to how long we feel the effects of the pacific system. Forecast guidance suggests that it will intensify as it carves out a path across southern BC. Under these scenarios, disturbances tend to hang around just a little longer than expected.
In any event, the end of the weekend will see dramatically colder conditions pervade BC. Coldest conditions will likely occur Monday before temperatures begin to moderate by mid week.
Forecast guidance suggests that the approaching system will move off by Sunday. There is some uncertainty about this given that the system intensifies as it carves out a path over southern BC.
The bottom line – rain with wet snow over higher terrain is forecast as the Gulf of Alaska system crosses the south coast Saturday. Precipitation may linger into the morning hours of Sunday before we see a colder drier airmass envelop the region.
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