B.C. southern Interior embracing record-breaking February snow

Snow-lovers and ski hills in the B.C. Interior are making the most of unusual February weather as some areas have received more than a metre of new snow this week.

Since Friday, at least 117 centimetres of snow has fallen in the small community of Sparwood in the Elk Valley. Whitewater Ski Resort near Nelson got about 75 centimetres of snow in just three days.

"It's a winter wonderland to say the least. It's just fabulous," said Kirk Jensen, the resort's general manager.

"Those that are getting fresh tracks in the mornings, you don't really feel the base. You're just sort of floating through this light, powder snow. It makes for an unreal experience."

'Definitely a pleasant surprise'

Silver Star Mountain Resort near Vernon is also experiencing a boost as skiers and snowboarders embrace the recent dump of snow.

"It's living up to that reputation of soft Okanagan champagne powder," said Guy Paulsen, destination sales manager.

"February has definitely been a pleasant surprise."

Paulsen said while conditions at the hill are great, he admits getting to and from the hill has been a challenge. On Saturday, a vehicle leaving the resort slid off the road and snapped a power pole, leaving the resort without power for seven hours.

"Since then, though, it's been clear sailing. Folks here are clearing the road really well."

Not over yet, says Environment Canada

Elsewhere in the interior, people are skating, snowshoeing and paddle boarding.

Kelowna photographer Lise Guyot is embracing the wallop of winter. She loves the cold and is sharing images online of her outdoor adventures, including skating on Skaha Lake near Penticton.

"We've skated on lakes before, but this was the best of our lives. You looked through the ice and you were just skating above the sand ridges."

"That's the best part of cold and winter. You can reclaim all the walkways and all the beautiful beaches and everything is quiet."

Environment Canada said most communities in the Okanagan received at least 20 centimetres of snow between Friday and Monday. Typically, Kelowna gets about 10 centimetres of snow in total for all of February.

"We're not quite done yet. On Wednesday, we're expecting another system to bring more snow to the southern Interior," said Alyssa Charbonneau, a meteorologist with Environment Canada.

She expects most areas to receive between five to 15 centimetres of fresh snow between Wednesday and Thursday.