108-year-old temperature record broken during B.C. storm
The atmospheric river that battered southern B.C. Monday and Tuesday brought with it a mass of warm air that led to record high temperatures in nine communities across the province, including one city where the previous record had stood for 108 years.
That city was Quesnel, where the mercury hit 10.2 C on Tuesday, making it the hottest Dec. 5 since record-keeping began in the area in 1893. The previous record was 8.9 C, set more than a century ago in 1915.
Quesnel's record was the oldest broken Tuesday, but it was not the warmest. That distinction went to White Rock, where temperatures hit 13.6 C, just a tenth of a degree hotter than the previous record of 13.5 C, set back in 1987.
The other seven high temperature records set Tuesday, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada, were as follows:
- Clinton area: New record of 6.5 C, old record of 4.1 C set in 2003
- Gibsons area: New record of 12.7 C, old record of 11.1 C set in 1965
- Malahat area: New record of 11.1 C, old record of 9 C set in 1987
- Puntzi Mountain area: New record of 4.3 C, old record of 4 C set in 2015
- Sechelt area: New record of 12.7 C, old record of 11 C set in 1981
- Victoria area: New record of 13.5 C, old record of 13.3 C set in 1925
- Williams Lake area: New record of 7.8 C, old record of 6.1 C set in 1965
The records listed are "derived from a selection of historical stations in each geographic area that were active during the period of record," according to ECCC.
This week's storm brought heavy rain and strong winds to the South Coast, causing localized flash flooding in Metro Vancouver on Monday.
According to Environment Canada, the highest rainfall totals in the province were recorded at Kennedy Lake Highway Station on Vancouver Island, where 132 millimetres fell, and at Port Mellon on the Sunshine Coast, where 126 millimetres were recorded.
Farther up Howe Sound, Squamish saw 112 millimetres, while Mission led the Fraser Valley with 97.
In the Interior, where precipitation was still ongoing in some places at the time of ECCC's midday update Wednesday, the highest totals were in the Kootenays, with Morrissey seeing 124 millimetres and Kootenay Pass 120.
The highest snowfall totals from the storm were at Rogers Pass and Chappel Creek, where 22 and 17-to-23 centimetres fell, respectively.
The maximum wind gust recorded during the storm was 150 kilometres per hour at Sartine Island, an uninhabited ecological reserve off the northwest coast of Vancouver Island.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976944.1721898750!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
DEVELOPING Jasper wildfire burns buildings, while poor air quality forces some fire crews out
A fast-moving wildfire has hit Jasper, Alberta, destroying buildings and chasing some wildland firefighters away with dangerously poor air quality.
Alberta calls in army to assist with wildfire situation
Alberta has called in the Canadian Armed Forces to help assist with the worsening wildfire situation in the province.
Biden explains why he ended re-election bid in Oval Office address
U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday delivered a solemn call to voters to defend the country's democracy as he laid out in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Norad intercepts Russian and Chinese bombers operating together near Alaska in apparent first
The North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bombers flying near Alaska Wednesday in what appears to be the first time the two countries have been intercepted while operating together.
2 Canadians being 'sent home immediately,' removed from Olympic team after drone incident
An analyst and an assistant coach with Canada Soccer are being removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and 'sent home immediately,' according to the Canadian Olympic Committee.
An unwelcome attendee has joined the Paris Olympic Games: COVID-19
After a handful of Australian water polo players tested positive for COVID-19 this week, questions have emerged around how the spread of the disease will be mitigated at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Vacations, meals, booze: Contractor used $100K of charity's money for personal expenses, B.C. court finds
A B.C. man who was hired to help a non-profit build a food hub but instead spent the money on personal expenses – including travel, restaurants, booze and cannabis – has been ordered to pay more than $120,000 in damages.
Male, female killed, 2 others injured in 'gun battle' outside Toronto plaza: police
Two people are dead and two others suffered serious injuries following a shooting that police have described as a 'gun battle' outside a plaza in Scarborough, Ont. early Wednesday morning.