Sunshine is set to shower Vancouver Island with heat flirting with 30 C, in many towns, and skyrocketing past that in others.
Wednesday (July 3) will see small bits of cloud and light winds, before clear skies bring progressively warmer days across Vancouver Island
“We’re going to continue this sunny and clear stretch for seven to 10 days,” says Ken Dosanjh, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada.
The temperatures are a bit higher than usual, with the average just over 21 C for the first week of July according to historical data.
In Greater Victoria, the highest daily temperature records for July 7 and 8, were set in 2010 when it hit 31.6 and 33.2 respectively. Both July 7 and 8 this year are anticipated to reach a high of 29 C. Campbell River and Nanaimo are forecast to his similar highs.
Meanwhile, Port Alberni is forecast to hit 36C on Sunday.
The weekend highs come after a remarkably average June across Vancouver Island as far as temperatures and precipitation, Dosanjh said.
Victoria International Airport in North Saanich saw 98.8 per cent of its normal precipitation with Campbell River coming in at 104.9 per cent, he said. Nanaimo was the wettest of the Island with a remarkable 143.6 per cent of its normal rainfall.
It’s a very different story from June last year, when May too was warmer and drier, and Greater Victoria saw 55 per cent of its normal precipitation, he noted.
“We started our summer much earlier last year. This year we’re following our normal climatological norms,” Dosanjh said.
The incrementally warmer weather heading into the weekend is anticipated to hit peak intensity on Sunday and Monday before tapering off.
A ridge of high pressure is expected to anchor off the B.C. coast and sit there for the next several days ushering in warmer weather province-wide.
“This looks to be a real first heat spell of the year,” Dosanjh said. “We’re flirting with the 30 degree mark, especially in the interior of the Island.”
The rest of summer remains a bit of a mystery as the meteorologist confesses little confidence in the statistics – with no clear vision for the coastline this summer.
“For the Island it’s super fuzzy."
In the short term, the impending heat wave prompts a public reminder to drink water, even when not thirsty, and wear sunscreen and protective eyewear, he said.
“If you’re going to be inside, if you have an air conditioning unit definitely use that. If you don’t there are public facilities such as libraries,” Dosanjh said. “If you are going to be outside, lower your activity levels or do them earlier or later in the day, not in the peak heat.”