Metro Vancouver forecast predicts 7 straight days of sun, possible record-breaking temperatures

Metro Vancouver may be in for an early spring this week as the local forecast predicts several days of sun and high temperatures that could break records.

According to Environment Canada, Vancouver is expected to see sun through next Tuesday, with temperatures rising steadily into the weekend.

Parts of the Fraser Valley are expected to see some of the highest temperatures with projections for Saturday and Sunday reaching 21 C in Abbotsford. According to the federal weather agency, the average high for March 16 and 17 in Abbotsford is about 11 C. The previous record for March 17 in the city was set in 1947 at 20.6 C.

Closer to the water, Vancouver will see temperatures spike to 17 C on Saturday, which could tie a historic record set in 1983.

The long-range forecast in the Lower Mainland, parts of the Okanagan, the Kooteneys and Northern B.C. is showing sunshine into next week.

The warm, sunny stretch of weather comes after a relatively dry winter that saw B.C.'s snowpack only reach 66 per cent of normal levels. That low snowpack could contribute to drought conditions later in the season. 

Last week, Dave Campbell with province's River Forecast Centre, said the next eight weeks are expected to determine just how significant droughts could be this year.

"We anticipate seeing that water availability is going to be lower as we come into the summer," he said. "That is certainly an ongoing concern in terms of the implications for drought. We continue to see that increased hazard for seasonal drought this year, particularly in relation to the snowpack side of things."

Campbell said snow could continue for the next month or two in some parts of the province, but upcoming forecasts aren't looking promising for much accumulation.

"We continue to see weather forecasts, seasonal weather forecasts, indicating increased chance of warm spring and into the summer," Campbell said, adding rainfall in the long-term forecast is "limited."

Local watershed managers have warned these drought conditions could lead to local restrictions. Heidi Walsh, with Metro Vancouver, told CTV News last week that any additional snow is crucial as it supplies the region's reservoirs.

"As spring progresses we will be watching to see if we’re seeing a drying trend again, and then, that will help us decided if we need to enhance our watering restrictions," Walsh said.