Snow conditions commentary

A bi-weekly commentary of snow conditions based on readings from the B.C. Automated Snow Weather Station (ASWS) network is published during the snow season.

March 3, 2025

Weather patterns shifted mid February, changing from cold and dry conditions to warmer weather with a series of frontals systems affecting the coast. Snow accumulation caught up during the 2nd half of the month in many regions, but overall, most basins measured below normal conditions for February. March has begun with warmer and drier weather with the possibility of a coastal precipitation event in the upcoming weekend.

A complete listing of Automated Snow Weather Stations (ASWS) expressed as percent of long-term median for the entire length of record is found in the ASWS Weekly Summary (PDF, 186KB)*. Hyperlinks to interactive plots are available for each ASWS in the table.

*Note: These are not the official snow basin indices. 

The provincial average for March1st at all ASWS sites is 78% of the period of record median, staying the same value as February 15th. The Fraser River basin stations averaged 77%, which increased slightly from mid-month (February 15th: 76%). By February 15th, on average, approximately 80% of the total seasonal snowpack has accumulated.

As of March 1st, the ASWS measured significant decreases in snowpack from February 15th in the West Kootenay (-17 percentage points) and Liard (-9). The Upper Fraser West (+25), Nechako (+9) and Vancouver Island (+6) measured significant increases. 

A provincial composite graph of all automated stations with relatively long-term record is shown below. The data for the graph begins in 1988. 

^{The March 1st percentage of average is 74% (February 15th: 70%) and at the 9th percentile (February 15th: 5th).}  

The March 1st, 2025 Snow and Water Supply Bulletin is scheduled to be released approximately March 10th or 11th, 2025, based on data availability. The bulletin offers a more detailed and comprehensive summary of the March 1st snowpack statistics and includes approximately 100 Manual Snow Survey measurements. The official Snow Basin Indices are calculated within the Bulletin.