Metro Vancouver temperatures expected to hit 40 degrees Sunday
Posted June 27, 2021 9:33 am.
Last Updated June 27, 2021 10:48 pm.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — We are in for another day of potentially record-breaking heat, with temperatures ranging from the high 30s to early 40s.
NEWS 1130’s Meteorologist Michael Kuss says if you thought Saturday was hot, it’s only going to get worse.
“It’s going to be … a degree or two at least warmer than what we saw on Saturday across the area,” he says. “Humidity is going to be about the same [as Saturday].”
And if you’re thinking about heading to a beach to soak in the sun, Michael says you can expect temperatures to be pushing to about 40 degrees.
While the “extreme heat” may be ending on Tuesday, he says the temperatures will stay relatively high.
“When we talk about a cool off for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday of next week, we’re talking about getting down to 23 on the coast and 29 inland.”
The UV index is also reaching uncharted territory and experts are calling it rare for Metro Vancouver.
Environment Canada is reporting a UV index of 11 on Sunday which is considered “extreme.”
Bobby Sekholn is a meteorologist with the agency and says it’s not just the sun in the sky that can be dangerous.
“Keep in mind that white sand and other bright surfaces can reflect the UV and increase your exposure so even that can cause you harm,” he says.
Sekholn says ratings of 10 and 11 are rare in Canada and are “very concerning.”
The UV index is based on a combination of ozone conditions, the position of the sun and cloud cover.
Meanwhile, the Fraser Canyon town, Lytton, has set the new record for highest temperature ever recorded in Canada on Sunday. Environment Canada confirmed Lytton’s temperature at 46.6 degrees at around 5:30 p.m.
Lytton record eclipses that previous record of 45 degrees in Yellow Grass, Saskatchewan, in 1937.
Lytton's official high temperature today June 27, 2021 is 46.6 C. Lytton BC now holds the record for Canada's all time maximum high. The previous record was 45.0 C set on July 5, 1937 at Yellow Grass, and Midale, SK.
— ECCC Weather British Columbia (@ECCCWeatherBC) June 28, 2021
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And with these soaring temperatures, anyone who’s at risk of overheating in the current conditions is being encouraged to take care of yourself.
Scientific director of environmental health at the BC Centre for Disease Control, Sarah Henderson, says people with underlying health conditions are particularly vulnerable to the heat.
“If you’re finding that you’re having symptoms, difficult to catch your breath, you’re feeling a bit dizzy, you’re feeling a bit confused, like you might faint, then you’re getting into dangerous territory, and you have to cool down right away,” she says.
“Get some sort of breeze over your skin to help with that evaporative cooling of the skin. So standing in a breezy place or standing in front of a fan when you are sweaty, or you wetted yourself down, or you’re wearing a wet t-shirt, all of those things were really helped to cool you.”
Henderson adds that heat can build up indoors without air conditioning, to the point of becoming unsafe, and recommends drinking plenty of water to help the body stay cool.
B.C. powering up to cool down
We’re not just breaking temperature records this weekend.
As many of us turn on the fan or AC to cool down, we’ve hit a new record for electricity use.
BC Hydro says demand peaked last night, at its highest level of any summer on record.
But we could hit another all-time high on Monday.
BC Hydro says demand typically goes up on weekdays, and the heat isn’t going anywhere just yet.
Last night, we set a new record for the highest summer peak hourly demand. Temperatures soared across the province and electricity consumption reached 7,972 megawatts. Here's an update from our team: https://t.co/goPlcB2OvW pic.twitter.com/0Np98TdyfH
— BC Hydro (@bchydro) June 27, 2021
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B.C. communities set new record highs
At least 44 municipalities in B.C. experienced record-breaking temperatures Saturday.
Included in that long list, Vancouver reached 32 degrees, exceeding the previous record of 30 degrees for June 26.
Interested in seeing a list of the many daily maximum temperature ????️records set yesterday? You can find that information on our Weather Summaries page: https://t.co/xYJFTPozMj#BCStorm pic.twitter.com/FwQbNS5KXm
— ECCC Weather British Columbia (@ECCCWeatherBC) June 27, 2021
In Abbotsford, a scorching 39 degrees beat its old record by nine degrees.
Victoria recorded 35, passing the old mark by six degrees.
In the Okanagan, Osoyoos got up to 39 degrees, and in the Kootenays, Nakusp got up to 35.
However, these records might be short-lived since temperatures are expected to reach even higher in the coming days.
