When is the last time Okanagan Lake froze over?

[Glacier]

Yeah, I guess Global Warming has affected the Canucks as well as the environment. I remember a foot of snow October 31 back in the late '60's early '70's.

The snowiest years on record in the Okanagan were 1969 to 1972 (not in terms of total snowfall, but in terms of actual snow depth).

The maximum snow depth ever reached at the Penticton airport in January, February, November, and December occurred in '72, '69, '70, and '71 respectively. The 58 cm (23 in) of snow on the ground in January of '72 is quite impressive considering the fact that the Calgary airport has never had more than 38 cm (15 in) of snow on the ground at any given time.

1971/72 was the snowiest winter of all time with 186 cm of snow falling at the Penticton airport. 1943/44 was the least snowiest winter on record with only 19 cm of snow falling.

P.S. I use Penticton because weather records in Kelowna are not as continuous.

ETA: The season of 1941/42 was the least snowiest on record in the Okanagan, but that was a year or two before the Penticton airport opened up. This followed on the heels of the greatest heatwave in provincial history.

[Queen K]

I actually remember the snowfall in Kelowna in 1972. But it may have seemed high, as I was in Grade 2.

But no, we had a lot of it.

[Cumungala]

I think that Okanagan Lake is overdue for a freeze over. I realize that Global Warming does exist, but I think our lake still has the ability to freeze over. If it were to freeze, I think the lake could be divided into 3 sections. The first section to freeze would likely be between the bridge and Vernon, because its the narrowest part of the lake (especially from the bridge to Bear Creek) and also is the coldest part of the valley. The next part would probably be from Penticton to Peachland because the lake is a little bit wider there and is in a warmer part of the valley. The last part to freeze over would probably be from Peachland to the bridge because the lake is very wide and deep there. This is the order I think it would freeze

I wish I was around for the winter of 1972. The Environment Canada records say that parts of Kelowna got over 270cm of snow that year. I was alive for the winter of 1996-97, which was another snowy year, but I was just over a year old then so I don't remember it at all. I have pictures of me playing in the snow then and it must have been at least 2 feet deep. This was in Kelowna too.

[LoneWolf_53]

Not sure why exactly you're so gungho to see the lake freeze over? I guess you hadn't given much thought to the fact that the few times it did, was devastating to the fruit industry due to trees succumbing to the severe cold.

Some areas actually never recovering to the level that the valley saw prior.

I don't think I need to see ice bad enough to wish hardship on one of our main industries.

You want to see ice go to the Arctic or higher up to a mountain lake, heck for that matter Duck Lake is frozen over, go there. I'm perfectly fine with Okanagan Lake just the way it is.

[sammym]

We moved into the valley from the maritimes in the summer of 1969 and I do remember the lake frozen completely very early in our time here, '69 would make sense. There was a real cold one in the early nineties as well, I remember Skaha Lake frozen over completely and the south end of Okanagan Lake frozen as far north as Trout Creek but I don't think it froze completely.

I am pretty sure you are correct.

I don't remember it, but my parents told me about the lake freezing over. I was only 2 years old when it happened and I was born in 1967. We lived on the lake in Casa Loma when it happened.

From their stories, the lake froze all the way across. Not sure how far north or south it was frozen, but the area from Peachland to McKinley was definitely frozen. And apparently it was quite thick. People were driving their cars from one side to the other.

[mountainmama]

Didn't want to give away my age, but I rememer in 1950 in Naramata, the lake froze from Naramata to Summerland. The big kerfuffle was that the Bailey boys drove a car across the frozen lake. I was in school with the youngest one. lolol

[oneh2obabe]

Is he talking about Okanagan Lake itself or the combination of all?

The entire lake completely frozen three or four times in the past century and consequently is monomictic most years.
http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/155013/

[phasyluck]

I remember 86 or 87 it was frozen fairly far out but obviously not across. We skated all over the place in the mission and city park area. Probably shoulda died now that I think back about it.

[raniculas]

my grandpa has a pictures of the 1949-50 freeze and snow built up on top looks like at least 4 inches to a foot. solid I think the whole lake

[Ken7]

I can't believe it's ever frozen over. Takes a lot of consistently cold days for a lake that deep to freeze. Then again, if it was 70+ years ago it last froze over...who knows.

Guess if that happened, you wouldn't be able to ice fish right?