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William Tell Family Estate, 27th Avenue South, Creston, BC (2026)

06/01/2026

Twenty years ago today—June 1, 2006—the deal closed on a property that most people thought I was crazy to buy.

That purchase was an extension of how I operated. A few years earlier in the Okanagan, I had arrived late to a garage sale, and by the time I got there, everything was gone. I decided to ask the owner if the house itself was for sale. He said yes, we agreed on a price, and we wrote the contract on a paper towel with a black sharpie. It was a late Saturday evening so we went to the ATM and I took out cash for a deposit on the house and handed it to this stranger.

The story for this farm almost is a repeat of the house purchase. This time though I had a real estate agent. My real estate agent called to tell me a property was about to be listed for sale. By then, I had already spent a year searching for the right site. I had narrowed down the areas in the valley capable of growing world-class Pinot Noir and had done the math, using environmental lapse rates and growing degree day data to compare potential sites here against some of the best Pinot Noir regions in the world—from France and New Zealand to Oregon. I had already spent a significant amount of time on the South Island of New Zealand, looking at world class Pinot Noir vineyards.

When we arrived at the property, the agent drove me down the driveway and pointed out the property boundaries. I didn't even bother getting out of the vehicle. I knew right then I was going to buy it. I said I will buy it. We went back to the office, wrote up an offer, and the next day the offer was accepted. I had no idea how I was going to pay for the farm.

I had to leave town for work, so I withdrew the down payment in cash and dropped it off at the agent's house in a brown paper bag, on my way out.

To everyone else the property, looked like madness. I had just offered the highest price per acre the region had ever seen. People thought I was crazy.

I had also left a very good job a year earlier with the Mark Anthony Group, Mission Hill Family Estate in the Okanagan, to bet on an unproven wine region.

At the time, Skimmerhorn hadn't even opened yet—they had only recently planted their vineyard.

The property itself was far from impressive. It was a fragmented, neglected orchard that wasn't even fully planted. Christmas trees grew between rows of peaches. At the top sat what I came to call the "graveyard"—a hillside buried under decades of scrap wood, forgotten yard sale items, rusted-out vehicles, and more Christmas trees.

But I wasn't looking at what it was. I was looking at what it could become.

The next twenty years were anything but easy. Irrigation was replaced, new trees were planted, tractors, sprayers, mowers and implements were purchased, and slowly the farm transformed from the top down.

Once the upper ground was finally cleared, it became a high-density, high-elevation vineyard. That was the beginning of a new chapter for the farm.
Today, with irrigation running and vines thriving at the top of the hill, new pears trees and apple trees at the bottom, the gamble feels less like a risk and more like a necessary leap.

This year, there are more grapes being planted where the last peach trees were lost in the 2024 freeze.

What's interesting is that the company I left twenty years ago is now my neighbour. Back then, many people thought I was crazy for buying land to plant grapes in this region. Over time, others saw the same potential and followed.

Twenty years later, I'm reminded that the best investments rarely look perfect at the start. Sometimes they're overgrown, neglected, and buried under someone else's leftovers.

The Impossible just takes longer, or Time Will Tell.

05/29/2026

The Pinot Noir blocks are showing excellent promise early in the season, as they continue to develop.

To ensure that the vines maintain the highest quality and metabolic efficiency, shoot thinning and bud rubbing have just been completed in the vineyard. By utilizing high density planting, the 2-foot vine spacing ans high elevation, the vines are able to optimize light interception and overall high-quality vineyard performance.

Performing shoot thinning to refine the canopy ensures the plant's energy is directed exactly where it needs to be for optimal fruit development. Every decision at William Tell is driven by a commitment to high-quality viticulture, managing the specific nuances of the vineyard.

05/07/2026

Head on over to Rainman Weather to get more boring science info.

Do you notice your garden looking extra green and vibrant after a big thunderstorm? You aren't alone, it is a real phenomenon.

You aren't imagining it! It’s not just the water, it’s Science.

Here is the "lightning fast" explanation of how nature fertilizes your plants from the sky:

1. The Air Around Us and the "Triple Bond"

Believe it or not, about 78% of the air we breathe is nitrogen. However, plants can’t actually "breath" it in. Atmospheric nitrogen (N2) is held together by a triple covalent bond, one of the strongest bonds in nature. Plants are surrounded by nitrogen, but they lack the biological "tools" to break that bond and use it as food.

2. The Power of the Bolt

When lightning strikes, it generates extreme heat—about 30,000C, which is hotter than the surface of the sun! This massive energy blast literally rips those tough nitrogen molecules apart in the atmosphere. By the time nitrogen atoms are freed by lightning, that massive energy barrier has already been overcome for the plant.

3. Rainwater Delivery of "Natural Liquid Fertilizer"

Once the nitrogen atoms are freed, they quickly bond with oxygen and hydrogen in the air to create Nitrates (NO3) and Ammonium (NH4). The rain then catches these nutrients and carries them down onto the plants, and into the soil.

The transition of nitrogen from an inert gas into these specific compounds is the "missing link" of the biological world. Without this chemical conversion, most life on Earth—including the plants in your garden—would effectively starve in a sea of plenty.

Nitrates (The Fuel for Growth)

This is the form of nitrogen that plants crave most. Nitrates are highly soluble in water, meaning they move easily through the soil to reach plant roots. They are the primary building blocks for chlorophyll and are used to build the amino acids that form the structure of the plant's leaves and stems.

Ammonium (The Energy Saver)

While plants spend energy to convert nitrates for use, ammonium can often be incorporated into amino acids more directly. Additionally, ammonium carries a positive charge that allows it to "stick" to negatively charged clay and organic matter in the soil, acting as a small reservoir of nutrients.

4. The "Green Up" Effect

The reason this process is described as "high-grade liquid fertilizer" is due to the delivery method. Because these compounds are created in the air and dissolved in the rain, they are delivered in a perfectly diluted, liquid state.

Immediate Bioavailability

Unlike slow-release fertilizers that take days or weeks to break down, rain-borne nitrates and ammonium are "ready-to-eat," providing an almost instantaneous growth surge.

Instant Chlorophyll

Nitrogen is the main ingredient for chlorophyll, the pigment that makes plants green. Because the plants get a sudden, easily digestible "protein shake" from the rain, they produce more chlorophyll almost instantly.

Uniform Coverage

Instead of being concentrated in one spot, the rain ensures every square inch of the leaf surface and root zone receives an even application of nutrients.

Summary

Lightning is nature’s way of pulling plant food out of thin air and delivering it right to the roots! By turning atmospheric nitrogen into nitrates and ammonium, nature takes a useless, "locked" gas and converts it into a soluble, energy-rich food source that powers the entire food chain.

04/29/2026

Getting ready for the apples to bloom any day now. Warm weather coming, should make for a beautiful weekend full of new blooms. Just love the amazing fuschia colour, before they fully open.

The pears are in bloom, beautiful white flowers, the smell is amazing hints of vanilla and honey. Later on those smells transfer to the fresh pears and is noticeable in the Perry that is produced, Pearalizer and Pearsecco.

04/16/2026

The sight of a bleeding heart arched over a fresh blanket of snow is a striking contradiction that rarely graces the Creston Valley. While today’s dusting of snow was a big surprise to most people this morning, it felt like a shock to the system, history shows that Mother Nature occasionally keeps a stray winter card up her sleeve well into the spring season.

Looking back through the local records, May snowfall is an exceptionally rare event for us. The vintage image of a bleeding heart in the snow dates back to May 1961, marking one of only three times in recorded history that we have seen measurable snow during this month. It serves as a vivid reminder of the volatility inherent in our microclimates and the resilience of the plants that call this valley home.

For those of us watching the soil and the skies, today was a definitive lesson in agricultural patience. While it is easy to assume the risk of frost or frozen precipitation has passed by mid-May, these historical outliers prove that the transition from winter to summer is rarely a straight line.

There are still two weeks left of April, will we get snow in May?

Seeing the spring blooms weighed down by white powder is a rare spectacle, but fortunately, one that typically vanishes as quickly as it arrives. Stay warm out there, and keep a close eye on those tender new shoots.

photo Credit to, Creston Museum

04/14/2026

In the Creston Valley, the standard for high-quality wine grapes is the Cane Pruned VSP (Vertical Shoot Positioning) system. While some growers may still utilize traditional spur pruning for select blocks, it is now firmly established that Cane Pruning (Guyot) is the superior choice for our region.

The transition to Cane Pruned VSP (Vertical Shoot Positioning) as a quality standard in British Columbia was a pivotal shift that began in the Okanagan before becoming the baseline for both the Okanagan Valley and the Creston Valley.

The Okanagan Shift: Mission Hill Family Estate

This approach was shaped by world-class standards brought back from my six months at Felton Road Winery in Central Otago, New Zealand. Upon returning to the Okanagan in the spring of 2002, Head Winemaker John Simes and I collaborated to elevate the region's viticulture practices.

Until these select blocks of Pinot Noir were cane pruned, virtually everything in the Okanagan was being spur pruned on VSP systems. We specifically selected trial blocks spanning from Osoyoos to West Kelowna to implement the cane pruning method. At the time, this was a significant departure from the established regional norms. The trial proved highly successful, demonstrating superior vigor control and fruit quality compared to the traditional spur systems. Because of the results achieved at Mission Hill, cane pruning was adopted across the region and is now the accepted professional method for high-quality viticulture throughout the Okanagan.

Establishing the Standard in the Creston Valley

In 2005, I returned to the Creston Valley and brought these rigorous standards with me. During a visit with the owners of Skimmerhorn Winery, I observed that they were still utilizing traditional spur pruning. I suggested a transition to cane pruning VSP, highlighting the same benefits we established in the Okanagan.

This method provides better vigor control through more effective regulation of the vine’s energy. It also serves as a primary tool for disease prevention, allowing for the total elimination of old, diseased wood by renewing the fruiting wood annually. Furthermore, it offers increased efficiency by creating significant time savings on shoot thinning during the growing season. Since that introduction in 2005, cane pruning VSP has become the definitive baseline for grape growing in the Creston Valley.

The decision to favour Cane Pruning over Spur Pruning is driven by several mechanical and health advantages specific to our terroir:

The Clean Slate (Cane vs. Spur)

Cane pruning allows for a total renewal of the vine’s fruiting wood each year. By selecting a fresh, one-year-old cane every winter rather than keeping old, permanent wood on the wire, we keep the vine young and significantly lower the risk of wood-borne diseases and trunk pathogens. This is vital for maintaining the longevity of sensitive varieties like Pinot Noir.

Optimized Airflow and the "Fist" Rule

Thin-skinned varieties are highly susceptible to botrytis and other molds. We ensure a "fist-sized" gap between the ends of neighboring canes. In the tight clusters, this gap acts as a chimney, promoting the vertical airflow necessary to keep the fruit zone dry and sun-exposed, which is essential for flavor development.

Precision Yield Control

Cane pruning provides superior control over crop load. In years of extreme vigor, such as the 2025 rebound following the severe 2024 freeze, this system allowed growers to precision-target yields. By dropping excess crop and keeping only the best-positioned clusters, we ensure the final vintage captures a true sense of place.

Winter Resilience

In a climate prone to polar vortex events and fluctuating barometric pressure, minimizing permanent, older wood is beneficial. Fresh canes are often more resilient to extreme cold than older cordons, which may harbor hidden damage or desiccation from previous winter hits.

The Uphill Advantage

At Sticks & Stones vineyard (William Tell), the canes are pointed "uphill" on the sloped site. This allows us to regulate the vine's natural sap pressure, ensuring an even distribution of nutrients and energy across the entire cane. Unlike spur pruning, which can result in apical dominance where the ends of the cordons get more energy than the middle, every bud from the trunk to the tip grows with equal vigor, creating a perfectly balanced canopy. The vineyard is also planted at 2ft spacing, so there is only one cane to lay down that points uphill.

While this pruning method requires significantly more skilled labor and "boots-on-the-ground" decision-making during the winter months, it remains the most effective way to translate the unique terroir of the Creston Valley into a world-class bottle.

03/24/2026

A Living Legacy: Evolution of the Pear Block

There is a weight in the air at the farm this week as I stand among the remnants of the old pear block. For over fifty years, these trees have watched the Erickson sun rise and set, rooted deep in the history of this property. Originally planted by Mr. and Mrs. Schuler, they have stood as a living testament to the enduring spirit of the Creston Valley for generations.

These trees produced the fruit that defined our history—used in Pearalizer, original Sparkling Pear Juice from the days before alcohol, Apple/Pear Cider Vinegar, and most recently, the Patchwork Pear Soda.

But as any farmer knows, the land is a living thing that must evolve. This past week, the decision was made to pull out the old pear block. While it’s bittersweet to see the old wood go, it is clearing the way for a vision that’s been years in the making.

The Future: The 2D Planar Cordon
The old pear block is transitioning to a high-density planting that changes the way you interact with every single tree. This new layout utilizes a Guyot Training System—a technique I have adopted from the vineyard.

The Technique: We lay the main leader down horizontally to encourage vertical shoots.

The System: Also known as a 2D Planar Cordon or Formal Cordon, this creates a "fruiting wall."

The Goal: Uniform light interception and precise nutrient delivery, resulting in the world-class fruit quality that defines William Tell Family Estate.

Old DNA, New Architecture
What makes this project truly special is the bridge between the past and the future. Before the old trees were removed, cuttings were collected from the original Schuler pears.

Later this spring, grafting will begin. This will connect that historic Scion wood onto modern, resilient pear rootstock.

The DNA of the 1970s orchard will live on in the high-density rows of 2026.

The soil is being prepped, the rows are being mapped, and the next generation of the orchard is officially taking root—honoring the foundation the Schulers laid by ensuring their legacy continues to grow in a way that’s ready for the next 50 years.

03/11/2026

It has been sometime since, We have posted for William Tell, so here it is.

Nature has a way of leaving behind blueprints for the season ahead. 🍎🪺 Finding this nest from last year is a quiet reminder that a healthy orchard is more than just trees and fruit; it’s a living, breathing ecosystem.

As the orchard gets ready for the first buds of spring, we are looking back at this little home—a sign of the balance we strive for here. Looking forward to welcoming a new generation of neighbors soon.

02/21/2026

Valleys to Vineyards

Many people have reached out asking the same question: How did my interest and relationship with the weather get started? That bond was forged in the high-stakes vineyards of the Okanagan Valley and rooted in my upbringing right here in the Creston Valley. While I always planned to return to my hometown after retirement, the journey led me back much sooner than I ever expected. For those wondering how I developed such an intense relationship with the elements, this is the story of how that connection began and why I do what I do today.

The Front Lines of the Frost

My journey began immediately after my post-secondary studies when I joined Mission Hill Family Estate. For a number of years, I held a unique and demanding role as the only vineyard employee stationed south of the winery. This made me solely responsible for monitoring the microclimates of those southern vineyards, which comprised about 90% of the company’s property holdings. Managing such a massive footprint meant I was the first line of defense against the unpredictable elements of the valley.

Because I was responsible for so much ground, nightly monitoring became a mission of its own. In the early 2000s, cell phones were unreliable in the valley, so we relied on two-way radios to communicate through the dark. We started at the known cold spots to calculate how fast temperatures were dropping, tracking inversion layers to decide when to trigger wind machines or pivot to propane heaters. It was a constant race against the clock to make it to daybreak with enough fuel and a protected crop.

This role involved deep-dive data analysis that was far ahead of its time. I was tasked with collecting weather data at potential new properties to determine if they were worth the investment. Often, these datasets were so massive they maxed out the 64,000-row limit in Excel—the absolute maximum the software could handle at the time. Through those years, I lived with the "weather anxiety" of every season: protecting tender spring buds from frost, ensuring the vines weren't touched by fall frost so the fruit could reach perfect ripeness, and monitoring extreme winter cold for the precise timing of an icewine pick. It was critical to ensure we didn't hit those "critical hit" temperatures where permanent damage is done to the plants.

A Data-Driven Homecoming

When I moved back to Creston, I brought that same analytical rigor with me. After meticulously going over the past 30 years of weather data for the valley and comparing it to wine regions around the world, I was convinced that grapes would work here. Following my time at Felton Road in Central Otago, New Zealand, I decided that Pinot Noir was the way to go. I selected this variety for its incredible versatility; it can be made into world-class sparkling wine if a season doesn't allow it to fully ripen, or a high-quality red wine in exceptional years. My confidence in this research was so high that when I found the right property, I didn’t even get out of the vehicle—I simply drove down the driveway with the real estate agent and told them I was making an offer.

Applying everything I learned in the Okanagan and abroad, I planted own-root Pinot Noir (clones 115, 667, and 777) at a high density of 8ft by 2ft. This strategy was designed specifically for our unique weather corridor because it reduces stress per plant and increases the chance of survival during severe winters. This decision was fully vindicated in 2023. While much of British Columbia suffered massive production losses from winter damage, I had my largest crop to date. It is a rewarding, full-circle moment to now be neighbors with my past employer in this beautiful valley.
The Science of Marginal Viticulture

The connection between Felton Road and Creston is defined by "Marginal Viticulture"—the principle that the most expressive wines come from grapes pushed to their absolute survival limit. In the wine world, vines must suffer to produce greatness. This environmental tension prevents grapes from becoming over-sugared and instead forces a concentration of energy that results in higher acidity and deeper aromatics.

Felton Road proved this in Central Otago, the southernmost wine region in the world. By succeeding in a landscape once dismissed as too cold, they showed that managing extreme weather leads to incredible elegance. Creston occupies a similar frontier. Located outside the traditional Okanagan belt, it faces real threats from Arctic outflows and spring frosts. However, these challenges are exactly why Pinot Noir thrives here. The intense high-latitude sun provides ripening energy, while cool nights preserve delicate floral notes.

Success on this edge requires precision rather than luck. My use of high-density planting and own-root vines is a direct response to these conditions, keeping the plants in a state of "managed stress." Ultimately, Felton Road and Creston prove that the "edge" is where the most interesting wines are made, transitioning from "will it grow?" to "look how it thrives."

Technical Foundation and Community Mission

My technical foundation supports this "front-line" experience. I hold both a Diploma and a Degree in Horticulture Technology, which gives me an intimate understanding of plant physiology and how atmospheric shifts affect the land. My background also allows me to manage complex data models and analyze high-level tracking systems with precision.

Beyond the numbers, I have always had a deep interest in Geography, which helps me analyze the "architecture" of our landscape. I understand how our North-South valleys funnel cold air from the north and how our mountains, rivers, and lakes dictate the specific airflow that hits us.

Rainman Weather is where I share this high-stakes experience to help people understand the risks and consequences that all farmers face, not just here in BC, but everywhere. My goal is to bridge the gap between complex atmospheric science and everyday life. Whether I’m tracking a winter freeze at -20 C or a spring frost, I aim to provide real-world analysis that only comes from years of working directly with the elements in the place I call home.

02/15/2026

I guess I couldn't stay away, there was a huge storm earlier this week that was forming in the North Pacific. This is what has happened since Monday. Rainman Weather

The Path of the 94.3 kPa Giant (Monday to Today)

Monday, Feb 9: The Explosion

The storm was located in the open North Pacific, east of Japan. It was a standard 99.0 kPa low on Sunday, but by Monday morning, it had plummeted to 96.0 kPa. By Monday night, it crossed the 94.3 kPa mark as it accelerated toward the Bering Sea. This was the "vacuum" starting to reach full power.

Tuesday, Feb 10:The Bottom

The storm reached its peak intensity of 94.3 kPa in the central Bering Sea, near the Aleutian Islands. This was the deepest low-pressure system on Earth at that moment. This extreme vacuum began pulling a massive "tongue" of warm Pacific air northward, which eventually flooded BC and gave you that "unreal" warmth.

Wednesday & Thursday, Feb 11-12:
The Stall

The giant stayed nearly stationary in the Bering Sea, spinning like a massive centrifuge. It sent hurricane-force winds across Alaska and kept the "Pacific Pump" running, which is why your temperatures in Fort St. John and Oliver stayed so high while the Yukon was shivering.

Friday, Feb 13: The Weakening

The storm began to "fill" (its pressure rose), and it started moving toward the Alaska Mainland and the Yukon Delta. As the storm moved inland and weakened, its "grip" on the Pacific air loosened. This was the beginning of the "Pivot."

Today, Saturday, Feb 14: The Residual Energy

The original 94.3 kPa center has mostly dissipated, but its "residual energy" has hitched a ride on an upper-level trough. This energy is now diving southeast across Western North America. On your map, this is the "trigger" that is releasing the Yukon's Arctic air.The Current SituationThe "Piston" is now unfolding exactly as we thought.

The 94.3 kPa giant was the "spring" being compressed. Now that the storm has moved inland and faded, the spring has been released.The cold air that was trapped in Old Crow (-32°C) is no longer being held back by the storm's inflow. Instead, it is being pushed south by the 101.8 kPa high-pressure slab that is following in the storm's wake. This is why you are seeing the pressure jump in Whitehorse (+1.0 kPa) and the first temperature drops in Northern BC.

The "Unreal" warmth was the storm's front side; the "Arctic Flush" is the storm's back side.Here is the full 5-day systemic tracking of our locations. This shows the pressure "pumps" in the north and the temperature response as the air flows south.

The Yukon & Far North (The Reservoir)

Old Crow, YT
Feb 10: -18°C | 100.8 kPa
Feb 11: -31°C | 100.5 kPa
Feb 12: -28°C | 100.7 kPa
Feb 13: -24°C | 101.5 kPa
Today (Feb 14): -32°C | 101.8 kPaNarrative: The reservoir has refilled. The pressure surge to 101.8 kPa is now providing the "weight" to push this -32°C air southward.

Dawson City, YT
Feb 10: -12°C | 101.8 kPa
Feb 11: -14°C | 101.5 kPa
Feb 12: -18°C | 101.9 kPa
Feb 13: -22°C | 101.4 kPa
Today (Feb 14): -17°C | 101.0 kPa
Narrative: Pressure is dropping as snow moves in. This "unzipping" of the pressure is allowing Pacific moisture to mix with the cold, creating local instability.

Mayo, YT
Feb 10: -10°C | 101.2 kPa
Feb 11: -18°C | 101.6 kPa
Feb 12: -24°C | 102.0 kPa
Feb 13: -22°C | 100.5 kPa
Today (Feb 14): -17°C | 101.2 kPa
Narrative: The "Engine" is fluctuating. After a massive pressure drop yesterday, it is ramping back up to 101.2 kPa to restart the cold discharge.

Whitehorse, YT
Feb 10: -1°C | 100.5 kPa
Feb 11: +3°C | 99.8 kPa
Feb 12: -4°C | 100.2 kPa
Feb 13: -15°C | 100.4 kPa
Today (Feb 14): -13°C | 101.4 kPa
Narrative: A massive 1.0 kPa pressure jump in 24 hours. The Southern Gateway is now "heavy," signaling that the blockade is over and the cold is spilling into BC.

The Northern & Central BC Corridor (The Piston)

Fort St. John, BC
Feb 10: +3°C | 101.6 kPa
Feb 11: +1°C | 101.2 kPa
Feb 12: +2°C | 101.0 kPa
Feb 13: +3°C | 101.1 kPa
Today (Feb 14): -3°C | 101.5 kPa
Narrative: The warm streak is dead. Pressure is rising as the Arctic air from Whitehorse begins to flood the Peace region.

Mackenzie, BC
Feb 10: +4°C | 101.8 kPa
Feb 11: -2°C | 101.4 kPa
Feb 12: -19°C | 102.8 kPa
Feb 13: +1°C | 100.9 kPa
Today (Feb 14): 0°C | 101.3 kPa
Narrative: Total atmospheric war. After jumping back to zero yesterday, the pressure is rising again (101.3), signaling the return of the cold "Slab."

Prince George, BC
Feb 10: -2°C | 102.0 kPa
Feb 11: +1°C | 101.6 kPa
Feb 12: +2°C | 101.4 kPa
Feb 13: +3°C | 101.8 kPa
Today (Feb 14): -1°C | 101.6 kPa
Narrative: The "Corridor Flush" has begun. Prince George has flipped back to the negatives as the warm air is pushed south toward the Gatekeepers.

The Interior & Gatekeepers

Kelowna, BC
Feb 10: +9°C | 101.8 kPa
Feb 11: +6°C | 101.5 kPa
Feb 12: +5°C | 101.6 kPa
Feb 13: +4°C | 101.5 kPa
Today (Feb 14): +5°C | 101.2 kPa
Narrative: The "Gatekeeper" is still holding, but the falling pressure (101.2) is a warning. The Pacific Ridge is deflating, leaving the door open for the northern piston.

Cawston & Keremeos, BC (The Similkameen Valve)
Feb 10: -2°C | 102.1 kPa
Feb 11: +7°C | 102.3 kPa
Feb 12: +6°C | 102.5 kPa
Feb 13: +5°C | 102.1 kPa
Today (Feb 14): +7°C | 101.8 kPa
Narrative: The "Valve" is seeing its last surge of warm Pacific air. The 101.8 kPa pressure is the lowest in 4 days, meaning the "Lid" is lifting.

The Border & The Valley (The Pooling Zone)

Oliver & Osoyoos, BC
Feb 10: +6°C | 102.4 kPa
Feb 11: +6°C | 102.1 kPa
Feb 12: +6°C | 102.6 kPa
Feb 13: +6°C | 102.2 kPa
Today (Feb 14): +8°C | 101.8 kPa
Narrative: The peak of the "Unreal" warmth. +8°C at the border is a total outlier compared to the -32°C in Old Crow. This is the "calm" before the piston hits.

Creston (Erickson), BC
Feb 10: +4°C | 102.5 kPa
Feb 11: +3°C | 102.0 kPa
Feb 12: +4°C | 101.4 kPa
Feb 13: +4°C | 101.2 kPa
Today (Feb 14): +5°C | 100.9 kPa
Narrative: The "Lid" has dropped below 101.0 kPa. The valley is now a low-pressure vacuum, which will likely suck the cold air in from the north over the next 48 hours.

Summary of the Last 5 Days:The "Unreal" period peaked around Feb 13. Today, Feb 14, marks the official Pressure Pivot. With Whitehorse and Fort St. John both showing rising pressure and falling temps, the "Piston" is now in its downward stroke toward the southern valleys.

William Tell Family Estate

06/01/2026

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05/07/2026

04/29/2026

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