Century-old heat records fall in B.C. as weather system brings warmth and wind

Unseasonably warm weather has broken temperature records in southern B.C., including century-old marks in the provincial capital.

Environment Canada says high temperature marks on Wednesday were broken in West Vancouver, where the mercury hit 14°C and shattered a 1986 high by 2.5°C, and White Rock, where the high of 13.5°C broke a record standing for 88 years.

Multiple records also fell at weather stations throughout Greater Victoria, where a high of 12.9°C surpassed a record set in 1922.

New highs were also set in Sechelt on the Sunshine Coast, with 13.7°C, and as far afield as Osoyoos in the Interior, with 6.9°C.

“With temperatures like these, you’d probably think we were in April or October because our high for today is 12 degrees,” explained CityNews Meteorologist Carl Lam.

“Even into the weekend, we’re still running well above normal for this time of year so we’ve got just a big dome of warmth. It doesn’t look like we’re going to tap into any really cold air any time soon, at least for the next week.”

Environment Canada had warned that the Pacific frontal system bringing the warmth would also bring strong wind to the southern coast, with gusts potentially reaching 120 kilometres an hour in exposed regions.

BC Hydro says more than 1,000 customers lost power on Cortes Island after a tree fell on wires, leaving several neighbourhoods without power overnight. Days earlier, thousands of other customers were without electricity due to high winds across Metro Vancouver, Vancouver Island, and the Sunshine Coast.

Warmer than seasonal temperatures have also had an impact on local ski hills, with those on the North Shore, as well as Whistler, facing challenges with the snow pack to start the season.

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