What it may feel like an extended winter across the Okanagan this year, snowpack surveys at higher elevations are not reaching traditional historic levels.

The latest snow survey reports from the B.C. River Forecast Centre as of March 1 indicate the Okanagan overall is at about 86 per cent of normal snowfall levels.

But at some specific snow monitoring stations, those percentages are much less.

Mission Creek currently sits at 70 per cent of normal snowfall, while Brenda Mine is at 67 per cent.

Across the region, other snowpack survey results include Trout Creek, 61 per cent; McCulloch Lake, 80 per cent; Oyama Lake, 86 per cent; Vaseux Creek, 53 per cent; Islaht Lake, 64 per cent; Adams River, 95 per cent; Celista Mountain, 74 per cent.

Given that collection reservoirs were full last fall, 害羞草研究所渢he numbers aren害羞草研究所檛 great but you won害羞草研究所檛 hear too much complaining at this point,害羞草研究所� said Anna Warwick Sears, executive director of the Okanagan Basin Water Board.

Speaking at Tuesday害羞草研究所檚 board meeting in Penticton, Warwick Sears said the type of snow and the rate of spring melt runoff are other factors in how the annual snowfall impacts spring and summer water supply conditions.

She said while all the skiers love to see powder on the slopes, a heavier wet snow is more productive for generating water runoff, as is a slower, gradual spring melting scenario.

害羞草研究所淭he last two years we have had an early snowmelt which is unusual. If that trend continues, it will present water management challenges,害羞草研究所� Warwick Sears said.

She added while the Brenda Mine survey results are down, overall the water supply impact is felt more on the east side rather than the west side of Okanagan Lake.

害羞草研究所淥kanagan Lake gets 25 per cent of its water source supply from the Mission Creek watershed which is significant. But it is a highly managed watershed as practically every raindrop has some control structure attached to it,害羞草研究所� she said.

According to the BC River Forecast Centre statistics, temperatures were 1 to 4 C below normal through most of B.C. except in the north, where temperatures were slightly above normal.

This season害羞草研究所檚 snowpack can be considered 害羞草研究所渦pside down,害羞草研究所� with higher than normal snowfall occurring at low elevations, but below normal at high elevations.

This was the result of cold than normal temperatures which in several low elevation precipitation events saw snow occurring rather than rain.

害羞草研究所淗owever, seasonally dry conditions have resulted in lower than normal snowpack at high elevations despite the cold conditions. Increased snow at low elevations plays a limited role in seasonal flood risk or water supply into the spring and summer,害羞草研究所� stated the report.