Here's how warm it's expected to get in Metro Vancouver this week

English Bay Beach in Vancouver, B.C. (Shutterstock)

Summer officially begins this week and with it, warmer weather is expected in Metro Vancouver.

For most of June, temperatures have stayed below 20 C in Vancouver, with highs averaging 18.3 C. This week, however, Environment Canada predicts it'll get warmer in the region.

While there may be some rain earlier in the week, by Thursday, the weather agency predicts several days of sun, with temperatures steadily getting warmer until it reaches a high of 24 C on Sunday. Overnight, it's not expected to get cooler than 12 C this week.

The pleasant weather change comes after the Lower Mainland had its typical rainy June, with an atmospheric river and some localized flooding. 

That atmospheric river was more potent than B.C. normally sees heading into summer, but not all that unusual. In fact, Environment Canada meteorologist Doug Lundquist shared his dislike for the term "June-uary" earlier this month.

"January is actually much wetter than this. This is just one system in June, and June is typically wet," he said. "This is normal, so why don't we call it June?"

Lundquist explained June's soggy weather helps to reduce the impacts of wildfire season later in the summer.

"It's an important part of what we do need for this time of year, to provide rains to the Interior so we don’t get fires and smoke coming out to the coast in the summer," he said.

But the rain has led to flooding concerns in other parts of the province, and a sudden temperature change could rapidly increase snowmelt. 

"With significant mountain snowpack remaining in the Fraser River headwaters, flow may remain elevated for an extended period over the next one to two weeks," a high streamflow advisory for the Lower Fraser River from the River Forecast Centre said.

"During this period, the river will remain vulnerable to extreme weather events, in particular heavy rainfall or extreme heat."

Outside Metro Vancouver, weather could get even warmer this week. For example, Kelowna, which recently experienced significant flooding, is predicted to see a high of 31 on Sunday. 

With files from CTV News Vancouver's Andrew Weichel