Wind climatology of Quesnel Lake, British Columbia

Intermontane lakes are often enclosed by complex topography that creates difficulty in resolving the local and regional wind fields. Quesnel Lake, nestled into the western flank of the Cariboo Mountains in central British Columbia, is one such lake. This study examines the wind climatology of Quesnel Lake at three distinct spatial and temporal scales. Firstly, long-term wind data from meteorological stations bordering the Cariboo Mountains exhibit a cycle of calm and active periods throughout the year. Secondly, an environmentto- circulation synoptic climatology is presented that illustrates the large-scale atmospheric patterns that lead to strong wind events at the lake. Finally, the spatial and temporal variability of the near-surface wind field has been examined using an array of shore-based meteorological stations. The response of the wind field to synoptic forcing is found to be driven primarily by the orientation of the regional 800 hPa pressure gradient. iii