Overnight lows won’t drop much during B.C.’s mini heatwave

A special weather statement is in effect, as heat is about to blanket the Lower Mainland and much of B.C. over the coming days.

Things will heat up on Friday and through the weekend with Sunday and Monday expected to be the hottest days in the short-term.

To be clear, the temperatures are not going to be like the 2021 heat dome, which left more than 600 people dead, however, it’s still going to be pretty hot given it’s not even mid-May and we’re already seeing summer-like temperatures.

The overnight lows aren’t expected to cool down very much either, which isn’t great because that’s typically when your body regulates itself from dealing with the heat all day.

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“Daytime highs reaching into the high 20s to low 30s with overnight lows in the low to mid-teens,” reads Environment and Climate Change Canada’s (ECCC) special weather statement. “Daytime highs will be 10 to 15 degrees Celsius above seasonal values.”

CityNews Meteorologist Michael Kuss says overnight lows will be about 5 to 10 degrees above average for this time of year.

The last two summers have been quite warm in B.C. and this is further proof this is the new normal for this province. “…The developing heat may result in daily temperature records being broken,” adds ECCC.

This kind of weather can be problematic for the very young, the very old, and anyone with underlying health conditions who may be at greater risk of developing heat-related illnesses.

The other issue is the heat will increase the snowmelt, which is bad for communities facing flooding right now, and it will leave B.C.’s forests tinder dry, which can be bad on the wildfire front.

The temps are rising in the Lower Mainland with an expected mini heatwave to hit the area. @SoniaSAslam with how high the mercury will go. https://t.co/qKLvZyO8Ip

— CityNews Vancouver (@CityNewsVAN) May 10, 2023

We hit the streets to find out how people plan on staying cool.

“I got the fans ready to go, they’re on standby,” one man told CityNews. “Maybe relax on a patio or near some water,” he adds.

“I was planning to go to Kits Beach, so I’ll do that. I’ll throw on the fan. I’m happy it’s going to be like this for the next bit,” pointed out one woman we spoke to.

“Ice cream, beer and stay inside,” chuckled another woman.

“We are going to go to the [Vancouver] Canadians game, although I don’t know if that’ll keep us cool and maybe to the pool,” added another person.

This man says he prepared for hot summers a couple of years ago. “We went and got a portable A/C unit and so when things get a little uncomfortable, we plug that sucker in.”

If you have a tough time during the heat, make sure to drink lots of water — not alcohol — stay inside during peak hours when it’s sunny. Keep your curtains or blinds closed during the day, but open in the evenings to let in cooler air. You can also take a cold shower or put your feet in an ice bath to cool down.

Find your local municipality’s heat plan and cooling centres here.