Environment Canada Upper Air station in Kelowna closed down to make room for parking lot at UBC Okanagan

[praveen4143]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-c ... -1.4176423

From my brief discussions with the FIC in Kamloops, my understanding is that Kelowna is the main centre for balloon launches for the FDs (Upper winds and temperatures) for the Southern Interior if not the entire interior of BC. Sad to see that Environment Canada is being forced out to make room for a parking lot for the college. Hope that they are able to find a good place to relocate and not be hampered in their work. I wonder how forecasting will be affected by this in the interior?

[freakonature]

The FIC in YKA seems like the logical place to move.

[AirFrame]

Funny, I just saw that building this past weekend as I attended the COPA convention held at the campus. I wondered why it was in the middle of the residences.

It's not the only mountain around there though, and many of the others are unoccupied. I'm sure they could relocate not far away and be just as useful.

[praveen4143]

Coming to YKA would actually be nice, I'd think, with the FIC being right there and everything!

Surprisingly, there's FDs issued for Kamloops and Penticton but not for Kelowna where the launch actually occurs!