The Okanagan Climate is Overrated

[Nigan]

Hello everyone,,
I've lived in about 10 different cities in BC. Loved them all, with many different types of weather, but I've never seen any location brag about their weather like the Okanagan. Quite frankly, if I were to rank locations by the weather, Kelowna/Okanagan would be middle of the pack at best. The winters are depressing, getting less sunshine than any other place in Canada (outside of a couple of spots in foggy Newfoundland) during the coldest, darkest month of the year.

And yet, I was told that it's so sunny in the Okanagan that they have this "sunshine tax." What??

Stats Canada released the new data today, and Kelowna continues to grow at a fast pace, so maybe it's just me. I'm here for the job, FYI. I'm not saying it's bad weather, but I prefer Vancouver and Victoria, and even Williams Lake weather to Kelowna.

What do you think? What's so great about the weather in Kelowna that I'm missing?

[Typeing3]

Pretty much in agreement with you here, but I wouldn't necessarily say it's overrated.

I do agree that while the Okanagan is well known for its summer warmth, the less known fact is the persistent winter gloom which dominates the valleys including cities such as Kelowna and Kamloops.

However, the main reason why the Okanagan is such a desirable place to live is simply or moreso just due to the long, hot and dry summers. Most valleys in the Thompson and Okanagan areas have average highs around 30C in July and August; this is something which no other area in Canada can compare with.

A lack of overall precip days also plays a huge part, while the relatively warm climate year round is also conductive to a rapidly growing agricultural industry throughout the region

[SouthSardiswx]

I've only been in the okanagan Kelowna/Kamloops in the summer and once in september all times were beautiful outside of seeing winter pictures or web cams I can imagine it would feel rather empty and cold but don't forget we suffer through our winter blues on the coast so I would say tit for tat. Although some snow cover may brighten things up for some locals, I've also been in the cariboo in the winter and summer Williams lake/100 Mile and it is stunning with lots of snow cover in the winter and gorgeous summers as well. But between the cariboo and okanagan in the winter the cariboo wins hands down.

[moonshadow0825]

I've only been in the okanagan Kelowna/Kamloops in the summer and once in september all times were beautiful outside of seeing winter pictures or web cams I can imagine it would feel rather empty and cold but don't forget we suffer through our winter blues on the coast so I would say tit for tat. Although some snow cover may brighten things up for some locals, I've also been in the cariboo in the winter and summer Williams lake/100 Mile and it is stunning with lots of snow cover in the winter and gorgeous summers as well. But between the cariboo and okanagan in the winter the cariboo wins hands down.

I've never lived in either city but have travelled there frequently for work. Kelowna in the winter is way more grey than Kamloops though. Relatively speaking I've had more flights from YVR to Kelowna cancelled for weather in the winter than to Kamloops; but Kamloops has delivered greater temperature variations. my first trip to Kamloops for work it was -29C and in the summer it can be well above 30C , my colleagues there always said they would much prefer the temp extremes to the rain further south.

in fact, the only time I've ever seen a Canadian stop and gawk at heavy rain was also in Kamloops, the locals kept insisting they'd only ever seen such rain in Vancouver

[Typeing3]

I've never lived in either city but have travelled there frequently for work. Kelowna in the winter is way more grey than Kamloops though. Relatively speaking I've had more flights from YVR to Kelowna cancelled for weather in the winter than to Kamloops; but Kamloops has delivered greater temperature variations. my first trip to Kamloops for work it was -29C and in the summer it can be well above 30C , my colleagues there always said they would much prefer the temp extremes to the rain further south.

in fact, the only time I've ever seen a Canadian stop and gawk at heavy rain was also in Kamloops, the locals kept insisting they'd only ever seen such rain in Vancouver

Ah, yes. The good old fashioned Northern BC arctic high.

Nowadays Kamloops struggles to drop below even -20C in the winter. Last sub -25C temp was back in 2008, more than 10 years ago now.

[Glacier]

Hello everyone,,
I've lived in about 10 different cities in BC. Loved them all, with many different types of weather, but I've never seen any location brag about their weather like the Okanagan. Quite frankly, if I were to rank locations by the weather, Kelowna/Okanagan would be middle of the pack at best. The winters are depressing, getting less sunshine than any other place in Canada (outside of a couple of spots in foggy Newfoundland) during the coldest, darkest month of the year.

And yet, I was told that it's so sunny in the Okanagan that they have this "sunshine tax." What??

Stats Canada released the new data today, and Kelowna continues to grow at a fast pace, so maybe it's just me. I'm here for the job, FYI. I'm not saying it's bad weather, but I prefer Vancouver and Victoria, and even Williams Lake weather to Kelowna.

What do you think? What's so great about the weather in Kelowna that I'm missing?

I think you may have read some of my rants before on this very topic because I've said almost word for word what you state here.

Some FACTS about the Okanagan.
1) Valley cloud sucks massive donkey schlong. We get LESS sunshine in the dead of winter than Prince Rupert!
2) I find the summers too hot.
3) I find the darkness of valley cloud plus being stuck in a valley depressing in the winter. I'd take 30 below in the Chilcotin over -10 in the Okanagan any day. The sunshine makes that much different (the Chilcotin region is by far the sunniest place in BC during the winter months).
4) Locals have something they call a sunshine tax, which is super annoying because it's neither a tax nor anything to do with sunshine.
5) The Okanagan doesn't get very cold in winter because of the valley cloud prevents cold air from radiating into space. Where my mom lives in the Chilcotin the temperature can be -20 in the morning and above 0 in the day in the dead of winter. Factor in the sunshine, and it feels downright balmy. By contrast, the temperature hardly budges in the southern interior valleys. It might be -5 in the morning but still -1 in the afternoon, and after not seeing the sun for the past 5 days feels depressingly cold, wet, and miserable.

[Abby_wx]

I think you may have read some of my rants before on this very topic because I've said almost word for word what you state here.

It probably is literally word for word... I'm fairly certain the author is some type of spambot that trolls the web for posts and then regurgitates them on other forums.

But since it's a relevant topic, it can stay.

Interesting perspective for sure. I find the Fraser Valley almost as bad for lack of sunshine in the winter. The clouds seem to just funnel up the valley and hang around, even though we tend to get less rain overall than areas to the northwest.

[Glacier]

It probably is literally word for word... I'm fairly certain the author is some type of spambot that trolls the web for posts and then regurgitates them on other forums.

But since it's a relevant topic, it can stay.

Interesting perspective for sure. I find the Fraser Valley almost as bad for lack of sunshine in the winter. The clouds seem to just funnel up the valley and hang around, even though we tend to get less rain overall than areas to the northwest.

Abbotsford is one of the sunniest places in BC in the winter with 216 hours. The sunniest are:
1) Puntzi Mountain = 284 hours
2) Anahim Lake = 247 hours
3) Fort St. John = 245 hours
4) Victoria (Gonzales) = 238 hours
5) Cranbrook = 228 hours

By contrast,

Kelowna = 153 hours
Penticton = 152 hours

Also, because of the mountains...

Hope = 74 hours

sunshineBC.png

[Abby_wx]

Abbotsford is one of the sunniest places in BC in the winter with 216 hours. The sunniest are:
1) Puntzi Mountain = 284 hours
2) Anahim Lake = 247 hours
3) Fort St. John = 245 hours
4) Victoria (Gonzales) = 238 hours
5) Cranbrook = 228 hours

By contrast,

Kelowna = 153 hours
Penticton = 152 hours

Also, because of the mountains...

Hope = 74 hours

sunshineBC.png

Sorry, but I disagree with the data (where do they get these numbers anyway?!). It makes zero sense to say that Surrey/White Rock gets less sun than Abbotsford... I know for a fact that that is false, as does anyone who actually lives in the Lower Mainland. The data is wack.

[Glacier]

Sorry, but I disagree with the data (where do they get these numbers anyway?!). It makes zero sense to say that Surrey/White Rock gets less sun than Abbotsford... I know for a fact that that is false, as does anyone who actually lives in the Lower Mainland. The data is wack.

from environment Canada. YVR also gets less sunshine in the winter. This is likely because of fog off the ocean. It could also be trees and buildings.