B.C. reports 19 new daily high temperature records
Posted May 5, 2026 8:39 am.
Last Updated May 5, 2026 5:38 pm.
For the second day in a row, several areas across B.C. reported daily record highs Monday.
On Sunday, the height of an early-summer blast broke 24 daily records, including in Victoria, which shattered a record set in 1898.
Early Monday morning, 1130 NewsRadio Meteorologist Michael Kuss correctly forecast that even more records would break throughout the day.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO LIVE WEATHER COVERAGE!In total, 19 areas set new record highs for the date of May 4. Those include:
| Area | New record for May 4 (°C) | Old record (°C, Year set) | Records kept since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bella Bella Area | 28.6 | 22.7 (2013) | 1977 |
| Bella Coola Area | 29.5 | 27.8 (1915) | 1895 |
| Campbell River Area | 29.3 | 25.8 (2013) | 1958 |
| Comox Area | 27.6 | 23.5 (2013) | 1914 |
| Duncan Area | 28.9 | 27.8 (1957) | 1913 |
| Kitimat Area | 27.2 | 23.9 (2024) | 1951 |
| Lillooet Area | 31.2 | 30.1 (1998) | 1917 |
| Nanaimo Area | 29.1 | 26.4 (1980) | 1892 |
| Pemberton Area | 31.5 | 30.6 (1957) | 1908 |
| Pitt Meadows Area | 28.5 | 27.0 (1992) | 1874 |
| Port Alberni Area | 30.6 | 29.4 (1915) | 1900 |
| Port Hardy Area | 23.5 | 22.4 (1980) | 1944 |
| Powell River Area | 27.1 | 25.0 (1992) | 1924 |
| Qualicum Beach Area | 28.9 | 23.5 (2013) | 1962 |
| Richmond Area | 25.9 | 22.2 (1898) | 1896 |
| Sechelt Area | 28.3 | 23.6 (2017) | 1956 |
| Squamish Area | 30.9 | 26.4 (2017) | 1960 |
| Vancouver Area | 23.9 | 22.2 (1898) | 1896 |
| West Vancouver Area | 25.8 | 25.5 (1992) | 1976 |
For Tuesday, Kuss says “probably no records” will be set along the coast, amid cooler overall temperatures.
“If we see records around the province, it’ll be in the Interior part of the province. We’re starting to see a moderation of this warm air that’s been sliding up across B.C.,” said Kuss.
Over the next few weeks, he says, temperatures are expected to return to seasonal norms, but it may be unseasonably dry.
“It’s been a dry spring, and that’s going to continue at least through most of May,” said Kuss.
For the immediate forecast, Kuss says Lower Mainland residents can expect some relief from the heat through the weekend.
“We will get more cloud cover toward the end of the week. But that cloud cover will also come with some cooler temperatures, so we’ll be back, closer to average, and with highs around the Lower Mainland — even inland and away from the water — not getting out of the teens.”
On Friday, the BC Wildfire Service warned that it is already busy and anticipating becoming busier as unseasonably warm and dry conditions continue.
There are currently 29 active wildfires in B.C., five of which started in the last 24 hours.
The warm weather also increased electricity demand across the province.
According to BC Hydro, residents using fans and air conditioners pushed demand to about 7,600 megawatts.
– With files from The Canadian Press.
