By Times Chronicle Staff

“April showers bring May flowers,” the proverb goes, but with mountain snowpack and valley precipitation both far below normal levels the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) is cautioning that this summer is looking to be one of drought conditions for the valley.

“The Okanagan has been in some form of drought since the fall of 2022, and it seems likely that this will continue into summer 2026,” it said in its spring update. Conditions may change, it added, if “significant and sustained” rain occurs this summer.

OBWB’s summary of current and projected conditions:

Snowpack critically low heading into freshet

  • Snowpack, a major source of the valley’s water supply, was consistently low across the Okanagan this winter.
  • As of April 1, 2026, average snowpack was 58 per cent of normal.
  • Key monitoring sites such as Brenda Mines and Silver Star Mountain are at, or near, record-low snowpack levels, with some areas already largely melted.

Spring precipitation far below normal

  • Valley-bottom weather stations have recorded very little precipitation since January.
  • Penticton, for example, has received only 18 mm of precipitation in 2026 so far, putting it 54 mm below average for this time of year.

Summer streamflow risk remains high

  • Streamflows are expected to increase temporarily as snowmelt begins, but late-summer water shortages are a concern without ongoing precipitation.
  • Okanagan Lake is slightly above normal, while Osoyoos Lake recently rebounded after sitting near historic lows earlier this spring, highlighting uneven conditions across the system.

Hotter, drier outlook increases drought risk

  • Environment and Climate Change Canada forecasts indicate:
  • Higher likelihood of above-average temperatures;
  • No clear signal for increased precipitation.
  • Seasonal outlooks show an increased likelihood of El Niño–like conditions, which typically bring hotter, drier summers to the Okanagan, similar to 2023.
  • Seasonal forecasts can be used to provide a sense of likely future conditions, but they should not be taken with 100 per cent certainty.

Washington State drought adds regional context

  • On April 8, 2026, Washington State declared a statewide drought emergency due to poor snowpack, marking the fourth consecutive year of drought in parts of the state.
  • Although BC has not yet assigned provincial drought levels for 2026, Washington’s declaration underscores the broader regional water risk facing the Pacific Northwest.

What you need to know

  • Drought conditions vary widely across the valley.
  • Local water restrictions, not provincial drought levels, are what residents must follow.
  • Lake levels are not the primary place we will “see” whether we are in drought. Okanagan Lake has many control structures, such as dams along it, which are used to manage lake levels to mitigate floods and droughts. Instead, low stream levels, depleted aquifers and reservoirs, and dry soil will be the main ways we see the drought.
  • Collective action and individual water conservation remain essential to protect fish, agriculture, firefighting capacity, and community water supplies.

And with the Okanagan Basin entering a fourth consecutive drought year, the OBWB is hosting a one-hour snapshot of supply conditions heading into the 2026 irrigation season, followed by audience Q&A.

Items that will be covered include:

  • Reservoir levels;
  • Snowpack;
  • Groundwater;
  • Weather forecast.

The event is on Friday, May 8, 2026 from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Email [email protected] for more information.