The snowpacks in the Upper Fraser and Nechako basins are at "levels of concern for increased flood risk," the provincial government's River Forecast Centre says in its latest update.
The snowpack levels stood at 152 and 148 per cent above normal for this time of year for the Upper Fraser and Nechako, as of the beginning of May.
The numbers are indicating "exceptional seasonal flood risk" subject to weather conditions during the melt.
As of Sunday, the Fraser River's depth at South Fort George was 6.75 metres, still well below the 8.8 metres reached at this point in 2007. High water lasting through June of that year caused authorities to issue evacuation alerts for several spots along area rivers.
Small to medium sized watersheds in the Interior tend to reach peak flows early May through to June, while larger river systems tend to peak later in the spring and summer, mid-May through late-June or July.
The weather remains the wild card.
While snowpack plays an important role in seasonal flood risk, ultimately weather determines the rate of river runoff and whether or not flood conditions occur, River Forecast Centre officials wrote. Extended periods of hot weather, wet weather, or combinations of the two can cause spring floods.
Daytime temperatures greater than 25 C for five to six days in a row, for example, can quickly produce flooding this time of year.
.png;w=120;h=80;mode=crop)
