December weather in B.C.: Potential record-breaking highs then flurries in the same week, forecast suggests
In the latest of a string of bizarre weather events in B.C., parts of the province may see some of the warmest December temperatures on record Wednesday.
At about 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 1, Canada's hot spot was Penticton, where the temperature was 22.1 at the airport.
Summerland also saw high temperatures, and was temporarily Canada's hot spot at about noon when it was 20.4 C. Earlier in the day, Salmon Arm was the hottest place in the country at 16.8 C. The temperature in that city rose to 18 C by noon.
Environment and Climate Change Canada's warning preparedness meteorologist Armel Castellan said Wednesday that the province is dealing with "record-breaking heat."
"An atmospheric river not only brings moisture but it brings heat," he said. "Many records are being broken today for these temperatures."
Castellan said there's a chance records will be broken "for any day in December."
But the weather is expected to turn quickly over the next couple days in both cities. By Friday, Salmon Arm isn't expected to see temperatures higher than freezing and there's a 60 per cent chance of flurries overnight. In Summerland, it's not predicted to get warmer than 2 C on that day.
The warm weather comes as other parts of the province face the third in a trio of atmospheric rivers that have exacerbated flooding in communities across southern B.C. Along with heavy rain, officials warned freezing levels on local mountains would rise over the coming days, leading to more snowmelt and the risk of worsening flood conditions.
Experts have warned climate change will likely lead to more of these extreme weather events and natural disasters, like the recent string of atmospheric rivers.
"Climate change is obviously playing a role here, as we warm up the atmosphere and the ocean, we will see more moisture in the atmosphere," Rachel White, an associate professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of British Columbia, told CTV News Vancouver earlier this week.
Over the summer, the town of Lytton set an all-time Canadian temperature record of 49.6 C while the province was under a heat dome. The next day, a fast-moving wildfire tore through community, levelling everything in its path and claiming two lives.
Then in the fall, B.C. was hit by a historic "bomb cyclone," which led to dozens of ferry cancellations and power outages. Meteorologists say bomb cyclones are a rapidly intensifying storm that happens when a cold air mass collides with a warm one.
A couple weeks later, a tornado was recorded at UBC after a waterspout built up near Vancouver International Airport then eventually touched land.
As of Wednesday, dozens of weather warnings were still in place across the province as communities continued to recover from severe flooding.
"We've gone from some extremes to other extremes and unfortunately this is consistent with what climate change has been projecting for all parts of Canada," Castellan said.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Ben Nesbit
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.