Records for warmest December set or tied across B.C.

British Columbians basked in a balmy December that was warm enough for five communities to set or equal temperature records for the month.

Environment Canada meteorologist Brian Proctor says the average temperature at Vancouver International Airport last month was 7 C, tying with 1939 as the city’s warmest December on record.

The average temperature was 3.4 C, higher than what’s considered normal for the month.

According to World Weather Attribution, climate change fueled extreme weather in 2023, and is expected to continue to do so in 2024. While experts say 2023 was the hottest year on record, 2024 has the potential to be even hotter, due to human-caused climate change and El Niño, the WWA states.

Proctor says warm weather records for December were also either set or tied in Victoria, Comox, Campbell River and Abbotsford.

The month was also very dry and Proctor says there wasn’t enough rain or snow to alleviate long-standing drought concerns in the province.

He says the first full week of January is expected to get cooler, with some snow possible at higher elevations.