Rain records fall in parts of Metro Vancouver

The rain can be a drab, but it’s good for our reservoir levels.

CityNews Meteorologist Michael Kuss says the precipitation across Metro Vancouver Thursday was much-needed, as many parts of B.C. continue to struggle with drought conditions.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Listen to CityNews 1130 LIVE now!

This is as we prepare to head into what is likely to be a drier and warmer-than-usual summer, raising wildfire concerns across the province.

Kuss says while what fell on Thursday was good news for water levels, it wasn’t nearly enough.

“The real positive about the rainfall on Thursday is it was widespread — pretty much consistently 20-plus millimetres of rain, a few spots pushing 30 millimetres through the day. Unfortunately, it’s been so dry so far through April,” he said Friday.

Kuss notes the region is still well below average for this time of year, when it comes to rainfall totals.

“The steady rainfall on Thursday almost doubled the total amount of precipitation that we’ve had for the month. We’re now up to 45, almost 46 millimetres of rain for the month, and we picked up 21.7 at YVR just yesterday. We’re still well shy of the monthly average — in fact, only about half of what we normally see in April,” he added.

In many areas across the South Coast, Thursday’s rain was record-breaking.

“In Abbotsford, 28.4 millimetres, breaking the old record of 20 millimetres. A new record at YVR — 21.7 millimetres of precipitation, just edging out the old number of 19 millimetres. Almost a record in White Rock, and a new record in Pitt Meadows at 22.5 millimetres of rain,” Kuss explained.

In an update earlier this month, B.C.’s Ministry of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship said the province’s snowpack as of April 1 was “extremely low,” with it averaging 63 per cent of normal.

“It is the lowest snowpack on record since 1970, at least, for the province and the Fraser River,” the ministry said in its snow and water supply bulletin.

Listen to CityNews 1130 for weather updates every 10 minutes after traffic on the ones. You can also follow Meteorologist Michael Kuss on X and subscribe to breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox.