Grand theft summer: Looks like B.C. stole the season
Digital Reporter
Tuesday, September 16, 2014, 1:29 PM - The only way most Canadians would know it's still summer is by glancing at the calendar. Weatherwise, it's mostly been anything but.
Ontario is looking at frost by the end of a below-seasonal week, but the Prairies and Atlantic Canada have beaten the province to that seasonal milestone by a couple of weeks already.
And who could forget Calgary's winter blast last week.
But meanwhile, in British Columbia:
Not going to lie to you @weathernetwork - it's almost too hot today. #Abbotsford #FraserValley pic.twitter.com/EgF80cGxGT
— Caaleb Trott (@caalebtwn) September 15, 2014
Yes, that was 30oC in Abbotsford on Monday. And that wasn't remotely a fluke or a glitch.
No less than five B.C. cities broke the 30oC barrier that day. Two of them broke records dating back almost two decades.
And it's been dry, very dry. And it'll stay that way for a little while longer, according to Weather Network meteorologist Tyler Hamilton.
"A marine push is likely on Wednesday afternoon, as the offshore upper level low sends a couple short waves into southern B.C., with showers possible along the south coast," he said Tuesday. "There's increasing chance of showers overnight and into Thursday. Generally, 5-8 mm is forecasted for Vancouver, with 15-20 mm for the eastern Fraser Valley."
Temperature-wise, it'll be a couple degrees lower, but then Hamilton says there may be more heat in store for the weekend.
"Another huge ridge looks probable Saturday/Sunday, and Sunday evening could feature 30oC temperatures in southern B.C.," he said. "Incredible warmth is possible.
And it's been like this most of the summer. In fact, the B.C. southern Interior has consistently been the hottest place in Canada, with numerous days above 30oC, and even a couple of days of forty-degree temperatures for a handful of communities.
Aside from the occasional Interior thunderstorm, it's been quite dry also, and that's been a big problem in itself:
That's Vancouver Island's Mt. Blinkhorn, not far from the capital, Victoria, sent in by Weather Network viewer Norm Hardy. When a fire of undetermined cause started on Friday, it quickly spread to quickly cover three hectares of land.
The Times Colonist reports the blaze was under control by Saturday, but the flames were minuscule by comparison to the conflagration that has sparked numerous fires in the B.C. Interior this summer.
Hundreds of thousands of hectares of land has burned due to the wildfires, which sparked a few evacuation orders. The largest, sparked by lightning on July 8 in the Chelaslie River area, continues to burn. It is currently 75 per cent contained after having scorched 133,000 hectares.
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