Shuswap climate
Shuswap weather and your roof: two metres of snow and fire season
Salmon Arm, the Shuswap's long-term weather station, averages 202.7 cm of snow and 653.7 mm of precipitation a year in the 1991–2020 normals, with a record high of 42.9 °C. Summer fire is the other hazard: the lightning-caused Bush Creek East fire of 2023 burned 45,613 hectares and destroyed 270 structures in the North Shuswap.
Reviewed by Scott Plumptree, Director of Marketing, The Interlock Group · Updated October 24, 2026
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Station
Salmon Arm, 1991–2020 normals
Wikipedia, Salmon Arm (ECCC normals)
Snowfall
202.7 cm a year over 36.3 snowy days
Wikipedia, Salmon Arm (ECCC normals)
Precipitation
653.7 mm a year (466.5 mm as rain)
Wikipedia, Salmon Arm (ECCC normals)
Extremes
42.9 °C to −33.5 °C
Wikipedia, Salmon Arm (ECCC normals)
Bush Creek East fire, 2023
45,613 ha; 270 structures destroyed; 3,500 properties under evacuation order
Wikipedia, Bush Creek East fire
Salmon Arm's climate normals
Environment and Climate Change Canada's 1991–2020 normals for Salmon Arm describe a warm-summer humid continental climate. January days average 0.6 °C and nights −5.6 °C; July averages 28.3 °C by day and 12.8 °C at night. The records run from 42.9 °C down to −33.5 °C.
The year brings 653.7 mm of precipitation, of which 466.5 mm falls as rain over 100.9 days. Snowfall is the number that stands out: 202.7 cm, across 36.3 snowy days.
Two metres of snow on a Shuswap roof
Over two metres of snow in an average Salmon Arm winter makes snow load the main job of a roof here. Snow that stays put adds weight to the frame week after week; snow that slides comes off in a heavy rush. On a lake cabin with a deck or stairs right under the eave, that slide is the real risk.
An Interlock® roof itself weighs roughly 2 to 3.5 kg per m², so it adds little to the load, and aluminum sheds snow. We plan snow guards at the estimate over every door, deck, path and parked car the slide could reach. With January nights averaging −5.6 °C, meltwater from a warm attic can refreeze at the eave; ice damming is a warranty exclusion, so attic insulation and ventilation are on our checklist.
The 2023 Bush Creek East fire in the North Shuswap
The Bush Creek East fire was first detected on July 12, 2023, after lightning from thunderstorms on July 11 and 12. It burned 45,613 hectares and destroyed 270 structures, 174 of them in the Columbia Shuswap Regional District, with Scotch Creek, Celista and Lee Creek among the communities hit. About 3,500 properties were under evacuation orders, and BC Wildfire officers called its growth "unheard of in B.C. wildfire activity" after the perimeter grew 20 km in 12 hours.
Fire risk in Sorrento, Blind Bay and Eagle Bay
The CSRD's 2022 Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan for the South Shuswap says human-caused ignitions make up about 75% of recorded wildfires there, and that the 2009 Notch Hill fire was the largest recent fire, with 160 Notch Hill properties evacuated. The plan covers Sorrento, Blind Bay, Notch Hill, White Lake, Eagle Bay, Tappen, Sunnybrae and Canoe Point.
The same plan recommends continuing free FireSmart Home Ignition Zone assessments and the rebate program, and continuing to educate residents on the pros and cons of rooftop sprinklers. An assessment is a sensible first step before choosing a new roof.
How we specify an Interlock® roof for the Shuswap
For fire season, aluminum does not ignite, and our roof is Class A Fire Rated Available, as a complete assembly. No roof is fireproof: FireSmart BC's manual still asks homeowners to keep needles out of gutters, to fit vents with three-millimetre wire mesh that won't burn, and to keep a non-combustible zone of 1.5 metres around the house and its attachments.
For the lake, aluminum cannot rust, and the roof is warranted to 193 km/h (120 mph) installed to manufacturer specification, which matters on lots that face open water. For winter, the snow guard plan and the attic check come with every Shuswap quote.
Shuswap questions, answered
Can my old cabin roof take an Interlock® roof with our snow?
An Interlock® roof is light, roughly 2 to 3.5 kg per m² of roof. The bigger question is the framing under it after years of Shuswap winters. We look at that during the estimate and tell you plainly if anything needs work.
Should I add rooftop sprinklers along with a metal roof?
The South Shuswap wildfire plan recommends educating residents on the pros and cons of rooftop sprinklers rather than simply promoting them. A free FireSmart Home Ignition Zone assessment, offered through the CSRD, is a good place to get advice on your property before deciding, and we are happy to talk through how either fits your roof.
How much snow should I expect at Sicamous or Anglemont compared with Salmon Arm?
We only have long-term normals for the Salmon Arm station, 202.7 cm a year. Sicamous and the North Shuswap sit elsewhere around the lake, and no long-term normals for them appear on the pages we used. We treat Salmon Arm as the baseline and size the snow guard plan to your own roof and lot.
Sources for this Shuswap guide
- Columbia Shuswap Regional District — Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan, Electoral Areas C and G (2022)
- FireSmart BC — Homeowner's Manual
- Wikipedia — Salmon Arm (1991–2020 climate normals)
- Wikipedia — Bush Creek East fire
Product specifications are the manufacturer's (Interlock Roofing). Install counts are from our own job book. Reviewed by Scott Plumptree, October 24, 2026.
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