Rainfall provides a bit of relief for drought, wildfire-stricken B.C.
Saturday saw the first raindrops reach southern B.C. after a considerable period of drought, reaching the Interior by the afternoon to provide some measure of relief to the ongoing wildfire situation in that part of the province. By Sunday, temperatures will take a bit of a nosedive for a short time before another heat wave begins next week. More on the rain, brief temperature drop and impending blast of heat, below.
SUNDAY: SHOWERS CONTINUE, REACHING THE PARCHED INTERIOR
Residents in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley woke up to the sight of rainfall Saturday morning, courtesy of a low-pressure system laden with some long-awaited moisture.
That moisture moved gradually through the south, with the bone-dry Interior receiving a few drops by the afternoon, with the rain's passage expected to continue overnight into Sunday across the Okanagan and Rockies.
In all, totals could reach 10-20 mm across the Lower Mainland and up to 30 mm for parts of the Interior by the end of the weekend.
While it won't help to fully extinguish the fires, the rain will provide some assistance in controlling some of the blazes.
Residents can also expect to perhaps breathe a little easier, as light rain may help to clear some of the thick pollutants from the air.
In addition to the rain, temperatures are expected to fall by as much as 10 degrees across the Interior on Sunday, with daytime highs sitting in the upper teens or low 20s. The temperature plummet will be short-lived, as another heat wave is set to begin next week.
WATCH BELOW: WILDFIRE SMOKE AND IMPACTS SHROUD B.C. INTERIOR COMMUNITIES
LOOK AHEAD: THE NEXT HEAT WAVE ON THE HORIZON, COULD AMPLIFY WILDFIRES
Another heat wave is anticipated for B.C. mid- and late next week, which is not welcomed news for the wildfires, smoke and air quality. While it won't be nearly as hot as what we saw in late June, high temperatures will reach the mid-to-upper 30s across the southern Interior valleys, including the Okanagan.
The Fraser Valley could see similar temperatures, and hot weather will also reach the southern coast of B.C.
Thumbnail courtesy of Валерия on Unsplash.
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