Summer is almost here, but parts of Canada are getting a taste of winter

We’re merely days aways from the official start to summer, but some regions in Canada are going back in time several months, weather-wise, as they could see a dose of snowfall early this week.

Why is this happening?

This atmospheric time warp descending on Western Canada is courtesy of an unusually potent upper-level trough digging into the region, bringing enough cold air and plenty of moisture to lead to very heavy snows across parts of British Columbia and Alberta.

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The impending event won’t just be a handful of flurries, either.

Freezing levels will gradually fall over the next couple of days as the core of this upper-level low settles into place over B.C. and Alberta.

Precipitation will easily change over to snow at higher elevations, with snowfall possible as low as 2000 m in the Rockies and 1800 m for parts of B.C.’s South Coast.

The snow will begin in earnest on Sunday, potentially amassing some eye-popping totals for the latter half of June.

Forecasters expect widespread snows to blanket higher elevations from the northern reaches of B.C. south beyond the international border. Portions of the Rockies at the alpine level could be on track to receive up to half a metre of snowfall over the next couple of days. Hikers planning excursions to Banff and/or Jasper National Park could encounter some snowy scenery.

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We’re less than a week away from the summer solstice, the point at which the sun reaches its highest point in the sky across the Northern Hemisphere. The full power of this lofty daytime sunshine will chomp away at those snowfall totals, even with chilly temperatures and thick clouds factored into the equation.

Even so, this will likely prove to be a disruptive event for hikers, campers, and folks hoping to head into the mountains for a day away from the hustle and bustle of life.

Pack plenty of warm clothes and keep a snow shovel and emergency supplies handy if you’re heading into the region during this unusual summertime snowfall.

Lower elevations will manage to avoid this momentary return of wintry weather, but not without some raw conditions of their own.

Chilly daytime highs and dreary conditions will prevail below 1800 m. Sunday’s predicted high of 15°C in Kelowna would be the city’s coldest day since the end of April.

Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on conditions across Western Canada.

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