Yesterday we took a short drive from Penticton to Westbank (just outside Kelowna) to do an errand. On the way, we saw that Lake Okanagan was displaying some rather interesting weather effects.

There had been sun, but a huge dark cloud swept in to accentuate the very unsettled lake.

The weather in the Okanagan Valley has been unusually and unexpectedly cold and snowy, the result of a widespread Arctic front that has affected much of North America.

Although it’s nothing like what I experience in the Northwest Territories where I work, it’s still difficult when many people aren’t used to this level of cold. The infrastructure to deal with it isn’t available. Plows and sanding trucks are in short supply, people aren’t used to driving on ice and snow and they’re likely lacking the proper clothing and footwear to stay warm. Their vehicles may not be the best for dealing with the conditions. It’s a shock, to say the least.

This cold spell is supposed to be very short-lived with temperatures predicted to rise above 0°C by Sunday or Monday. I hope so!