Vancouver temperature record among 14 broken across B.C. amid brief heat wave
More than a dozen temperature records were broken in B.C. Thursday, just before the southern part of the province moves into a slight cooling off period for the weekend.
Much of southern B.C. and the north coast remained under a heat warning Friday morning, though forecasters said temperatures would start to moderate throughout the day.
Thursday saw especially warm temperatures, with 14 places setting new records for heat, according to preliminary data from Environment Canada. Most of the records broken were decades old, including Vancouver's. That city set a new record for Aug. 18 of 27.6 C, surpassing 1965's temperature of 27.2
Meanwhile, Pitt Meadows' temperature barely beat its previous record that was more than a century old. In 1908, the area recorded 33.9 C, but on Thursday it hit 34.
Other high temperature records that were broken, according to Environment Canada's preliminary data, include:
Clearwater area – new record of 36.4, old record of 35 set in 1967
Clinton area – new record of 32.9, old record of 32.4 set in 2012
Comox area – new record of 31.6, old record of 30.6 set in 1965
Mackenzie area – new record of 31.6, old record of 31 set in 2012
Merritt area – new record of 34.5, old record of 34 set in 1981
Muncho Lake area – new record of 27.2, old record of 27 set in 1981
Nakusp area – new record of 33.6, old record of 33.5 set in 2003
Sechelt area – new record of 32.8, old record of 28 set in 2016
Trail area – new record of 38.6, old record of 38.3 set in 1967
West Vancouver area – new record of 31.7, old record of 29 set in 1981
Whistler area – new record of 36.6, old record of 34.7 set in 2012
Yoho Park area – new record of 32.5, old record of 31.7 set in 1923
On Wednesday, six other heat records were broken, meaning at least 20 temperature records fell in the province this week.
"For the Lower Mainland, this is our third hot spell of the year and we've seen the heat warning criteria triggered," Bobby Sekhon, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, told CTV News Vancouver.
One of those heat waves led to 16 suspected heat-related deaths.
While temperatures in Metro Vancouver are expected to be a little cooler in the coming days – with Environment Canada predicting it won't get above 25 C – it could get warmer again later next week.
"We will see a gradual rise in temperatures Thursday, Friday. That's where we're going to likely see our peak in temperatures next week," Sekhon said.
"Whether those temperatures are high enough to get the heat warning criteria remains to be seen, but certainly something we're going to be looking at."
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Regan Hasegawa
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Israel gave U.S. last-minute warning about drone attack on Iran, Italian foreign minister says at G7
The United States told the Group of Seven foreign ministers on Friday that it received 'last minute' information from Israel about a drone action in Iran, but didn't participate in the apparent attack, officials said.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
BREAKING Iran fires at apparent Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran saw troops fire air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan, an assault coming in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
Ottawa to force banks to call carbon rebate a carbon rebate in direct deposits
Canadian banks that refuse to identify the carbon rebate by name when doing direct deposits are forcing the government to change the law to make them do it, says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.