Weather change, ice jam hazard prompt province to issue flood watch for Merritt-area rivers

A drastic change in weather for the B.C. Interior has led the province to issue a flood watch for rivers in the Merritt area.

The B.C. River Forecast Centre (BCRFC) says the flood watch is in place for the Nicola River, Coldwater River and Spius Creek.

In its bulletin, the centre says temperatures have been steadily rising through the week and are expected to reach the 10-to-12 degrees Celsius range over the weekend in Merritt.

That temperature shift is expected to be accompanied by rain — with 5-to-15 millimetres of rain forecast for valley bottoms and higher accumulations of rain and snow over the mountains.

According to the province, similar conditions have resulted in ice jams in the past, which can change river levels very quickly.

A flood watch is the second-highest alert level issued by the BCRFC — one step above a high streamflow advisory and one step below a flood warning.