Wet snow, hail and some wild wind storms have hit Nanaimo and the surrounding area in recent weeks, making for an interesting time for weather watches. (submitted photo/Jane Graves)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

UMBRELLA OR SNOWSUIT?

Shifting air masses behind “mixed bag” of wild weather for Nanaimo region

Apr 18, 2022 | 3:11 PM

NANAIMO — As the old saying goes, ‘if you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes’.

Residents across the mid-Island have lived the mantra over recent weeks with passages of wet snow, hail, driving winds and rain on any given day leading to a constant check of the forecast and the conditions outside.

Bobby Sekhon, Environment Canada meteorologist told NanaimoNewsNOW, the region has seen what he called “a mixed bag” of conditions as a result of shifting air in the atmosphere.

“It’s been thanks to this upper cold low that’s been around the south coast and Vancouver Island that’s been keeping things unsettled. It’s a little bit late in the season to see cold air this cold but because of that, we’ve had these unstable conditions with a variety of wind, snowfall and heavy precipitation.”

The late-season cool air is what’s turned normal spring showers and storms into wet flurries and small hail.

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Sekhon said it’s not uncommon to see the wild weather through early spring but the region has been through a lot compared to norms.

“High up in the atmosphere we’ve had this really cold air that’s come down over southern B.C. During the daytime, we have enough kick from the sun to get some warmer conditions near the surface. Warm air likes to rise and cold air likes to sink and therefore we have these unstable conditions giving this wacky weather.”

Hail, the size of small peas, littered across the mid-Island earlier in April. It was the latest chapter in a month of wild weather. (submitted photo/Ron McCrea)

A parade of Pacific storms through late March and into April added extra challenges for forecasters.

Sekhon said it was too early to comment on summer forecasting, but said current models suggest the next couple of weeks will be a little cooler than average before a warming trend in early May.

“It’s really a wait and see pattern,” Sekhon added on the long-term models.

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