B.C. under 'heat dome': A dozen weather records broken so far this week

VANCOUVER -

British Columbians are bracing for highs toward 40 C over the weekend after a week that saw record-breaking temperatures on several days.

The sudden heat wave is rare on Canada's West Coast – so rare that, according to the Weather Network, 60 per cent of B.C. residents don't have air conditioning.

The spike in temperatures, forecast to be five to 10 degrees above the norm, means the daily high may reach 40 in some inland parts of the province.

Attributing the heat to an "exceptionally strong ridge of high pressure," Environment Canada forecasts highs of 30 to 31 over the weekend and into next week in Vancouver.

The Weather Network expects temperatures to reach 36 by Monday in the city, and calls the phenomenon a "heat dome."

• Check your local forecast on CTVNewsVancouver.ca's weather page

Weather warnings are in place in most of B.C. due to the heat.

This week so far has not been as warm as what is expected to come, but already, several temperature records have fallen in B.C., according to data from Environment Canada.

On Sunday, three parts of the province recorded the highest-ever temperatures for June 20.

The record in White Rock was set back in 1938, at 27.2 C. This June 20, the mercury climbed to 28.7.

It was also the hottest June 20 in Hope and Squamish, where the temperature reached 32.5 and 30.2, respectively.

Monday saw seven records fall, one of which was more than a century old. The following municipalities had record-breaking heat on June 21:

• Abbotsford – 30.8 C, previous record of 30.6 in 1973;
• Agassiz – 32.5, previous record of 31.5 in 2004;
• Cache Creek – 36.1, previous record of 35.6 set in 1973;
• Clinton – 29.7, previous record of 28.3 set in 2004;
• Gibsons – 27.9, previous record of 26.5 set in 2004;
• Victoria (Gonzales Point area) – 28.9, previous record of 25 set in 1902; and
• White Rock – 27, previous record of 26.1 set in 1938.

On Tuesday, just one record was broken when the high reached 29.5 C in the Puntzi Mountain area. The previous record for warmest June 22 was in 1973, with a high of 29.4.

No records fell Wednesday, but Bella Bella saw record heat on Thursday. Environment Canada said the high in that area rose to 25 C, up 0.8 from the previous record of 24.2 set in 2017.

Data for Friday will not be available until late at night, and will not be published here.