38 warm-weather records broken Saturday
Dozens of high temperature records were broken in B.C. Saturday, including one that was set 124 years ago.
Thirty-eight communities saw their hottest March 16 on record as temperatures climbed above 20 C in some parts of the province.
In Agassiz, the mercury rose to 23.3 C breaking the record of 22.8 that was set in 1900.
Other places that saw temperatures at or above 20 C were Abbottsford, Bella Bella, Bella Coola, Hope, Merritt, Lytton, Pemberton, Pitt Meadows, Princeton, and Squamish.
The record highs came as a “ridge of high pressure” swept through the province, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.
The warm temperatures are forecast to last until Tuesday, before more typical March weather—including rain—returns later in the week. Patios and golf courses are expected to be full as British Columbians embrace the brief period of sun and almost-summer-like warmth.
The complete list of records follows in alphabetical order. All temperatures are in Celsius:
- Abbotsford: New record of 22.6, old record of 22.2 set in 1947
- Agassiz: New record of 23.3, old record of 22.8 set in 1900
- Bella Bella: New record of 20.7, old record of 15.2 set in 1988
- Bella Coola: New record of 21.1, old record of 19.4 set in 1926
- Blue River: New record of 17.4 , old record of 14.8 set in 1992
- Burns Lake: New record of 16.1, old record of 11.3 set in 1992
- Ashcroft: New record of 19.9, old record of 17.2 set in 1947
- Clearwater: New record of 18.7, old record of 16.7 set in 1941
- Clinton: New record of 16.6, old record of 12.1 set in 2010
- Dawson Creek: New record of 15.0, old record of 13.9 set in 1930
- Estevan Point New record of 17.3, old record of 16.7 set in 1947
- Gibsons: New record of 19.7, old record of 15.0 set in 1967
- Hope: New record of 23.4, old record of 22.8 set in 1947
- Kelowna: New record of 17.0, old record of 16.7 set in 1940
- Lytton: New record of 20.6, old record of 20.5 set in 1985
- Mackenzie: New record of 15.1, old record of 10.0 set in 1972
- Malahat: New record of 17.8, old record of 14.5 set in 1988
- Merritt: New record of 20.0, old record of 18.0 set in 1985
- Pemberton: New record of 20.4, old record of 15.0 set in 1988
- Pitt Meadows: New record of 22.7, old record of 20.6 set in 1947
- Port Hardy: New record of 15.4, old record of 15.0 set in 1947
- Powell River: New record of 18.9, old record of 16.7 set in 1972
- Prince George: New record of 16.8, old record of 13.3 set in 1947
- Prince Rupert: New record of 17.8, old record of 15.8 set in 1983
- Princeton: New record of 20.0, old record of 18.3 set in 1947
- Puntzi Mountain: New record of 17.4, old record of 14.0 set in 2010
- Sechelt: New record of 19.7, old record of 16.1 set in 1972
- Smithers: New record of 17.6, old record of 12.7 set in 1992
- Sparwood: New record of 16.6, old record of 13.2 set in 2010
- Squamish: New record of 23.0, old record of 17.0 set in 1983
- Tatlayoko Lake: New record of 18.5, old record of 16.7 set in 1947
- Terrace: New record of 16.0, old record of 12.8 set in 1928
- Vernon: New record of 17.6, old record of 16.1 set in 1915
- Victoria: New record of 19.0, old record of 18.3 set in 1947
- West Vancouver: New record of 18.7, old record of 15.5 set in 1983
- Whistler: New record of 16.3, old record of 14.0 set in 1985
- White Rock: New record of 19.5, old record of 19.0 set in 1983
- Williams Lake: New record of 18.9, old record of 14.2 set in 2010
“The temperature records reported here have been derived from a selection of historical stations in each geographic area that were active during the period of record,” the weather agency says.
“This summary may contain preliminary or unofficial information and does not constitute a complete or final report.”
With files from CTV news Vancouver’s Kevin Charach
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