High winds return to B.C.'s central coast as more heat records fall

A man struggles with an umbrella in the wind as rain falls in Vancouver, on Monday, Sept. 25, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

British Columbia's central coast is facing the return of strong winds reaching 90 kilometres an hour just days after the last such warning in the region.

Environment Canada says coastal areas from around Bella Bella south to around Sayward on Vancouver Island including Port Hardy and Port McNeill may see power outages and fallen tree branches because of the high winds.

A previous wind advisory on Wednesday warned of gusts up to 120 kilometres an hour along exposed areas of B.C.'s southern and central coasts.

The winds earlier in the week knocked out power to more than 1,000 BC Hydro customers on Cortes Island.

The El Niño climate phenomenon and a ridge of high pressure over B.C.'s Interior continue to bring record high temperatures to the province, as another set of century-old marks were surpassed Thursday.

Environment Canada says Prince George saw temperatures spike to 8.7 degrees, breaking a record set in 1919, while Quesnel reached 9.1 degrees, surpassing a mark set in 1901.

Vernon recorded 6.1 degrees, breaking a record from 1908.

The federal weather agency says other heat records were broken in Vancouver, White Rock and Port Alberni, while Whistler on Thursday matched its previous high of 5.6 degrees set in 1956.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 29, 2023.