Environment Canada expands its Northwest Forecast program

The ability to make for a more concise forecast is the guiding theme for Environment Canada as they expand on their online delivery of weather information for residents of the Northwest, splitting the North Coast Inland area into three distinct sections to better serve the public.

The new roll out of information delivery has been taking place over the last month with many areas of British Columbia receiving expanded forecast areas as part of the project, though for Prince Rupert, the coastal areas of the North Coast and Haida Gwaii the one forecast fits all model will remain in place.

Inland areas of the North Coast however seem to provide for a range of forecast challenges and with that in mind, Environment Canada now features more detailed forecasts for the North in Stewart, the Central area in Terrace and the southern portion of the region for Kitimat.

The main theme towards the change to the previous forecast delivery is to issue more targeted alerts when severe weather situations may come along.

For the most part it would seem that the largest benefit for then expanded forecast zones will come in the winter season, when winter storms make for treacherous conditions throughout much of the inland regions of the Northwest.

Some background to the new changes in the Forecast system can be found here.

The Inland areas of the North Coast
are one of a number of areas in BC
that Environment Canada has expanded on
their forecast delivery system.

A tutorial on how Environment Canada reviews approaching weather and delivers their forecasts and warnings can be found here.

You can explore some of the more severe weather items we have tracked in the past from our Weather Archive page here.