Heat warning lifted in parts of B.C., wind and thunder to roll in

After four days of sweltering conditions and dozens of temperature records broken in B.C., Environment and Climate Change Canada has lifted its heat warnings in parts of the province.

Just after 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, the warnings ended in Metro Vancouver, Greater Victoria, the Fraser Valley and the South Coast.

Heat warnings continue, however, in several Interior regions including the Okanagan Valley, Thompson, the Fraser Canyon, Boundary, 100 Mile, Kootenay Lake and West Columbia, as well as eastern Vancouver Island from Duncan to Nanaimo.

In the southern Interior, temperatures in the range of 35 C to 40 C could continue through Thursday, according to ECCC.

Meanwhile, a special weather statement was issued Wednesday afternoon that covers a swath of B.C.—from Abbotsford in the southwest all the way to the Alberta border on the east and as far north as Quesnel—is calling for strong winds and a risk of dry lightning.

The weather event is expected to last from Thursday morning to midday Thursday in central B.C. or overnight into Friday in the southern Interior, according to ECCC.

Possible impacts listed by the weather agency include “worsening wildfire conditions, possible new fire starts, risk of breaking tree branches (and) challenging boating conditions.”