Road maintenance crews in Kamloops have benefitted from a lack of snow and milder temperatures since the calendar turned to 2021.

Streets manager Glen Farrow says it’s been a very mild winter at the valley bottom which has enabled road crews to get an early start on spring cleaning.

“We had a lot of snow over the holidays, between Christmas and New Year’s. In January there were a few events, but through January until now, I would say the amount of snow we have received has been below average amounts.”

Farrow says there was plenty of snow in late December, before New Year’s, but says snow events were few and far between after that.

By Dec. 31, Farrow says the city had needed all of its snow removal budget of $1.9 million for last year, saying the amount spent to end the year was around $2 million. He pointed out there were several significant snow events in January and February of 2020, with snow events as well in March and one in April.

“This year, from a snow clearing perspective, we did receive very little in the valley bottom. If we look at Aberdeen, top of Barnhartvale, Juniper, there was definitely a few significant snow events and there was a lot of accumulation. Windrows in the gutters for weeks upon weeks. But if we look at the valley bottom it was very, very mild,” Farrow says.

“To be able to get out and really ramp up our street sweeping operations in early March, is a real benefit, based on just the lack of snow and milder temperatures we’ve had over the past couple of weeks. So we’re very thankful that we’re able to get out and start picking up that sand.”

Crews started street sweeping on the North Shore on March 4. A map showing where sand has been picked up, and where is yet to be done, can be found here.

(Photo: Tourism Kamloops)