Coldest October night in 100 years expected on Saturday

Photo: Colin Dacre

A homeless camp being broken up downtown Kelowna on Saturday morning

The Thompson-Okanagan will see record-breaking cold temperatures this evening.

Overnight lows in Kelowna and Vernon are expected to dip to -10 C on Saturday night, according to Environment Canada, falling well below previous records of about -4 C set in each community in 1972 and 2002, respectively. 

Records are also expected to fall in Kamloops, where an overnight low of -11 C is expected to break a record set in 1954. In Penticton, the forecast -8 C will likely break 2002’s previous record low of -5.2 C.

In all, it is expected Saturday night will be the coldest October night in a century. 

The early start of winter means groups like the Kelowna Gospel Mission are ramping up their outreach programs to reach those sleeping on the streets. 

“They woke up pretty miserable this morning,” said executive director Carmen Rempel, in a Facebook video posted Friday morning as the snow was coming down.

“Our outreach team has been out on the streets this morning checking in with everybody making sure they have what they need,” she continued. “It seems like lots of people are hunkering down, staying in place and not moving around much until all of this clears away.”

It appears a group of people without homes spent Friday night camped near the corner of Pandosy and Leon, using the walls and awning of the building as shelter. Kelowna RCMP were on scene breaking up the camp by 10 a.m. Saturday. 

The City of Kelowna has designated a space along the rail trail at 890 Baillie Avenue as a camping site for the homeless, but its exposed nature may prove too cold for some campers as an arctic front moves over the B.C. Interior.

The Kelowna Gospel Mission says it is need of long johns, men's pajama pants and warm gloves. Those donations can be dropped off directly at the Mission.