Weather conditions

🌤️ Weather & Water Conditions

Live wind, weather, air quality, and webcams for Gellatly Bay & West Kelowna — everything you need to help gauge whether a rowing session is likely to go ahead.

Please read: The information and thresholds on this page are guidance only. Conditions on Okanagan Lake can change quickly, and every rower is responsible for assessing the conditions and their own ability, and for deciding whether or not to go on the water. These recommendations are here to help you make an informed choice — the final decision is always yours, in consultation with your coach or the on-site safety lead. The Kelowna Rowing Club, its coaches, volunteers, and affiliates are not responsible for decisions to row.

✅ Conditions We Recommend Checking

Use these as a starting point. If several are marginal, it's worth reconsidering the session.

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Wind Speed

Rowing is more comfortable and safer when wind is under ~10 km/h (about 5 knots / 6 mph). Stronger, gustier wind is worth extra caution.

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Water & Whitecaps

Calmer water is preferable. Visible whitecaps are a good sign to reconsider — check the live webcams below.

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Storms & Lightning

We recommend staying off the water with any thunder, lightning, or storms forecast or in sight.

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Visibility

Clear sightlines help — a good rule of thumb is being able to see Barona Beach Marina from the club (roughly 3 km).

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Air Quality

Consider postponing if the AQHI is 7 or higher (High risk) — often a sign of wildfire smoke. See the live reading below.

🌡️ Current Conditions & Alerts — West Kelowna

Live conditions and any active weather alerts for our area, straight from Environment Canada.

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💨 Live Wind Map

Interactive wind map centred on the West Kelowna Yacht Club, right beside our launch. Zoom and drag to explore; play the animation to see how the wind is expected to change.

🌧️ Precipitation Map

Live precipitation for the area from Windy — the same interactive map as above, showing rain and showers. Play the animation to see what's expected.

📅 6-Day Outlook

Daily forecast for West Kelowna (Open-Meteo). Wind shown is the day's peak — a quick glance at which days look calmer for rowing.

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📷 See the Lake Right Now

Live webcams from the West Kelowna Yacht Club, next door to our club — a quick way to check for whitecaps, chop, and visibility.

West Kelowna Yacht Club — Cam 1
West Kelowna Yacht Club — Cam 2
West Kelowna Yacht Club — Cam 3

🌊 Lake Conditions

Lake Temperature

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A live embeddable water-temperature reading for Okanagan Lake isn't available, so we link to a trusted local source that updates daily.

Check today's lake temperature →
Cold-water awareness: When the lake is cold (roughly 10 °C or below), the risk from an unexpected swim rises significantly. In cooler conditions, rowers may wish to dress in warmer layers, stay closer to shore, and take extra care. Assess your own comfort and readiness before heading out.

Lake Level

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Okanagan Lake at Kelowna — live from Environment Canada. Handy context for docks, the launch, and shoreline conditions.

Level history & details →

😷 Air Quality

Live air quality for West Kelowna — AQI+ & conditions from IQAir, plus the official Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) for the Central Okanagan from Environment Canada. During wildfire season, smoke can change quickly through the day.

IQAir — AQI+ & Conditions (West Kelowna)

Current AQHI — Central Okanagan

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Official AQHI details →

AQHI Guide · Canada · 1–10+

  • 1–3 · Low risk: Ideal air quality for outdoor activity.
  • 4–6 · Moderate risk: If you notice symptoms like coughing or throat irritation, consider easing back on intense effort.
  • 7–10 · High risk: Reducing or rescheduling strenuous outdoor activity is worth considering — more so with heart or lung concerns.
  • 10+ · Very high risk: Reducing or rescheduling strenuous outdoor activity is strongly recommended.

AQI+ Guide · IQAir · 0–500

  • 0–50 · Good: Comfortable for outdoor activity.
  • 51–100 · Moderate: Generally acceptable; unusually sensitive individuals may notice symptoms.
  • 101–150 · Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: Those with heart or lung conditions may prefer an easier or shorter session.
  • 151–200 · Unhealthy: Everyone may feel effects; scaling back outdoor effort is worth considering.
  • 201–300 · Very Unhealthy: Reducing or rescheduling outdoor activity is strongly recommended.
  • 301–500 · Hazardous: Emergency conditions; staying indoors is strongly recommended.
Two numbers, two scales. Canada's AQHI (1–10+, a health-risk index) and IQAir's AQI+ (a 0–500 scale) are calculated differently, so they often read differently for the same air — a "Low" AQHI next to a "Moderate" AQI+ is normal. The AQHI shown here is Environment Canada's official reading for the Central Okanagan; IQAir's AQI+ is a helpful cross-reference. Consider them together, alongside the webcams and smoke you can actually see, and use your own judgement.

🔥 Wildfires in the Area

Live map from the BC Wildfire Service. Zoom to the Central Okanagan / West Kelowna to see active fires nearby — useful context when smoke may affect air quality.

Source: BC Wildfire Service. For evacuation alerts and orders, check EmergencyInfoBC.

Thanks for helping keep everyone safe. Monitoring conditions and making informed, individual choices keeps our club rowing well all season. If conditions look unfavourable, consider removing your name from the sign-up sheet in advance so others can plan too.