Winter’s chill releases ‘steam devils’ from lakes in Okanagan

After a long stretch of abnormally warm winter weather, frigid temperatures have set in. According to Environment Canada, the average high temperature for this day in the Central Okanagan is 0.6 C, while the average low is 4.4 C. Across the Okanagan, temperatures were nowhere near average, plunging below 20 C.

At least one Okanagan record is set to be toppled and that’s in Penticton, where the previous daily record is 20 C, set in 1950. The temperature there plummeted to 22 C earlier in the day. While there are many problems arising in homes, on roads, ski hills and job sites from this unusually chilly stretch of weather there’s one positive: It makes for some interesting photos, particularly on Okanagan Lake.

Those are what Global News meteorologist Peter Quinlan described as “steam devils.” Story continues below advertisement View full screen View full screen View full screen View full screen View full screen View full screen View full screen View full screen View full screen View full screen Previous Image Next Image Close Modal Gallery Trending Now Canadians brace for another winter storm.

Here’s what you can expect Heroic teens return home, in ‘shock’ over attention for saving drowning couple “These are steam devils that form on cold days where the lake is much warmer than the air so the air adjacent to the lake gets warmed by the water and rises rapidly and can start to rotate and it goes up into the sky creating a vortex,” Quinlan said.

“It’s similar to how a dust devil forms.” Get the latest National news. Sent to your email, every day. While the cold is expected to linger in the Okanagan Valley for the next couple of days, it’s even chillier in the mountains above. Story continues below advertisement Environment Canada says highway passes in B.C.

are going to experience extreme cold for the next 72 hours, and that motorists should expect wind chill values in the 20 to 50 range. “An extremely cold arctic ridge lies over B.C.,” Environment Canada’s recent alert said. “Temperatures in the 30s C combined with moderate winds will create dangerous windchill values of 35 or lower.” Conditions should start to warm up on Sunday.

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