La Nina poised to deliver third stormy winter in a row for BC

BC is in for another wet and stormy winter as La Nina refuses to relinquish her hold on the waters of the Pacific Ocean.

AccuWeather released its 2023 winter forecast Wednesday, and meteorologist Brett Anderson says La Nina will most likely push frequent storms over the West Coast.

La Nina is a weather phenomenon where the surface of the Pacific Ocean gets colder than normal. In turn, that amplifies the polar jet stream that ushers in more cold air and storms to the Pacific coast.

AccuWeather

According to the US-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, there’s a 75% chance that La Nina will be present and “still in charge” this winter.

“The latest information suggests that the steering winds will be coming from more a west-northwest and northwest direction this winter,” Anderson said. “Thus, we are leaning toward a winter with near-normal temperatures and snow [and] rain for much of central and southern British Columbia.”

AccuWeather

The heaviest snow this winter is forecast to fall in Northern BC and over the Rockies. According to Anderson, the West Coast is set to have an “excellent” ski and snowboard season.

AccuWeather

While La Nina will likely send storms to pummel Vancouver, AccuWeather says winter temperatures in BC this winter will stay near normal.

That’s in contrast to the Prairies, which are forecast to have a colder-than-normal winter.

Over in Ontario and Quebec, winter temperatures could stay above normal for a relatively mild winter.