Report says areas with below-normal snowpack show ‘early concerns’ for drought conditions.

The Canadian Press · Posted: Apr 09, 2026 2:46 PM PDT | Last Updated: April 9

British Columbia’s latest snow survey and water supply bulletin says the provincial average snowpack is sitting at about 92 per cent of what’s considered normal, an improvement over the 79 per cent average at the same time last year.

But the bulletin covering snowpack up to April 1 says the average “masks a strong regional divide,” with many areas measuring much lower amounts. 

The report says snowpack ranged from a low of 26 per cent of normal in the Skagit area to a high of 136 per cent in the Nechako and Peace regions.

It says areas with below-normal snowpack, particularly in parts of the southern Interior and the South Coast, show “early concerns” for drought conditions.

The bulletin shows snowpack on Vancouver Island sitting at 44 per cent of normal, while it was at 51 per cent in the Nicola region and 58 per cent in the Okanagan.

Areas across northern and eastern B.C., including the Skeena-Nass, Stikine, Peace, Upper Columbia and East Kootenay regions, along with the central coast, have meanwhile recorded snowpack levels ranging from 110 to 136 per cent of normal.

The bulletin says seasonal run-off forecasts are generally near normal across much of the province, though regions with near to above-normal snowpack face an increased risk of spring flooding due to snowmelt.

Above-normal run-off is forecast for the Upper Fraser, Bulkley River, Skeena River and Similkameen River basins, along with Cowichan Lake inflows, it says.

Overall, the report says about 60 per cent of snow stations were measuring above-normal levels as of April 1, with about 45 per cent considered well above normal.

Still, while B.C.’s average snowpack is higher than it was a year ago, it says levels in several southern and coastal regions are lower than in 2025.

Those areas include Vancouver Island and the South Coast, along with the Lower Thompson, Lower Fraser, Okanagan and Nicola regions.

“Several stations in the Okanagan and South Coast have recorded near or all-time low snow water equivalent, highlighting the severity of low elevation snow deficits in these regions,” the provincial report says.

WATCH | How low snowpack levels impact the province:

What do low snowpack levels mean for B.C.?

March 27, 2024|

Duration2:32According to provincial data, snowpack levels in B.C. are 34 per cent below normal for this time of year. As snowpacks melt, they help replenish crucial water reservoirs across the province. Tim Morris with the B.C. Watershed Security Coalition tells us more about what the low snowpack levels mean for the province.

The bulletin provides some insight into temperatures and precipitation this spring, saying seasonal outlooks from Environment Canada point to an increased likelihood of above-normal temperatures across B.C. through to June, with the strongest signals in southern and central areas.

Parts of northwestern B.C. show a weaker signal, closer to normal, it says.

Seasonal precipitation forecasts remain more uncertain, though the report notes there is a “weak signal” of below-normal levels along parts of the south coast, including southern Vancouver Island.

Some northern regions show a “slight tilt” toward above-normal precipitation, but there’s “no strong tendency” toward levels outside normal ranges for much of the rest of the province, the report says.

Jonathan Boyd, a hydrologist with the B.C. River Forecast Centre, said there’s still potential for more snow accumulation for another month.

“Throughout April, we can sometimes still get more snow,” Boyd said. “But we can also have the melt start … April is the one that we really gear up for. It’s the most important for communicating the potential for drought issues or flood related issues.”

Drought concerns for spring, summer

John Richardson, professor emeritus of freshwater and riparian area ecology at UBC, said the areas seeing below normal levels could face some serious issues for spring and summer because many depend on storing water in reservoirs.

“It’s not just the reservoirs for drinking. It’s also the the groundwater for which people depend on for well water or irrigation,” Richardson said.

“We use that water for everything,” Richardson said. “Drinking and cooking, flushing, bathing, to fighting fires in the city … we don’t want to get to the point where the pressure in the system is low enough that, you know, firefighters don’t have water.”

There’s also concern for the ecosystem.

Aaron Hill, the executive director of the Watershed Watch Salmon Society, is concerned there will be water scarcity in rivers and streams — putting fish at risk.

“When those waters get low and lethally warm for fish, it’s also usually dangerous conditions for everything else in the watershed, other wildlife,” Hill said.

With files from CBC News

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/average-bc-snowpack-april-2026-9.7158220