Seasonal flood risk elevated but remains mild with steady warming

In the Upper Fraser East, east of Prince George and flowing along the Robson Valley, is coming in at 147 per cent of the normal snowpack. That’s an increase from 135 per cent of normal and February was 113 per cent of normal.

“To have both of those areas very high, and then to have both of them converging in Prince George, the risk is to have them both rise very rapidly at the same time and could lead to potential flooding for the city.”

While the Middle Fraser region is labelled at 111 per cent of normal, the Cariboo Mountains region around Quesnel is closer to 132 per cent of normal, a substantial amount of snow for this time of year according to Boyd, classifying the Prince George region as the ‘bullseye’ for the province.

Despite warming temperatures expected in Prince George and surrounding area early next week, Boyd states we’re still well away from severe warming to cause alarming flood-like conditions.

With COVID-19, City of Prince George Manager of Emergency Programs and Public Safety, Clayton Scheen says the emergency response operations remain business as usual.

“We take our directive from Dr. Bonnie Henry and at this time our flood response will be the same as usual.”

He adds it’s difficult to predict what the weather is going to do as they can only see the forecast from two weeks out. However, he says weather is normal for this time of year.

Scheen encourages residents to refrain from walking on the ice and being near the riverbanks as we are in the early stage of the warming season.

by Ethan Ready

Seasonal flood risk elevated but remains mild with steady warming

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