Historical temporal trends in overwinter and spring snowpack for the Okanagan and Similkameen River watersheds in south-central British Columbia, Canada
Potential historical temporal trends in the overwinter and spring snowpack were investigated for the Canadian portions of the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys in south-central British Columbia. Significant evidence is available that the Okanagan and Similkameen River watersheds are exhibiting both spatially and temporally heterogeneous declines in snowpacks over the past several decades, but whether the causes are part of a natural cycle or result from longer term climatic changes is not clear. The variability in the magnitude, timing, and location of any significant time trends in snowpack decline also precludes efforts towards developing reliable hydrologic models that reflect a response to potential future changes in snowpack patterns for these regions of British Columbia
