B.C. faces an early May heat wave beginning this weekend
Temperatures will soar well above seasonal to start May across British Columbia
Get ready for a spell of summer-like heat to spill over British Columbia in the days ahead.
A significant ridge of high pressure building over the East Coast will send temperatures soaring well above seasonal to kick off the month of May.
Multiple communities could see temperatures top the 30-degree mark.
RELATED: Lawn-watering ban starts May 1 in Metro Vancouver, lasts through summer
Rex block causes B.C. heat to rise
An atmospheric blocking pattern known as a Rex block is responsible for the pattern building over the West Coast.
Rex blocks occur when a centre of high pressure is stuck to the north of an area of low pressure. The two systems interlock like gears, forcing the pattern to persist for several days.
In this case, the ridge of high pressure is nosing in from the Pacific coast and strengthening over British Columbia, reinforced by a large area of low pressure spinning over California.
Folks across B.C. can expect a prolonged spell of unseasonably warm and dry conditions as long as this ridge of high pressure remains in charge over the region.
Heat wave lasts into the first week of May
Forecasters expect the bulk of the heat to arrive Saturday, May 2, and last through Thursday, May 7.
RELATED: Prepare for an active wildfire season in British Columbia
Most regions of the province will experience temperatures running 5-10°C above seasonal for early May, with some locations approaching 15°C warmer than normal.
Generally, temperatures will range from 20-25+ degrees along the coast, up to 30 degrees inland near the coast, and climbing into the 30s throughout the southern Interior.
Vancouver’s forecast high on Sunday is 25-26°C. This is about ten degrees above seasonal for the start of May. Vancouver International Airport hasn’t seen a temperature at or above 25°C in eight months--since Aug. 29, 2025.
Here’s a look at the earliest 30°C on record in select communities across southern B.C.:
Abbotsford: May 1, 1998
Campbell River: May 12, 1993
Nanaimo: May 12, 1993
Vancouver: May 29, 1983
Comox: May 14, 2023
Out of these communities, Abbotsford has the highest odds of cracking the 30-degree mark.
Folks throughout the region should remain on alert as the wildfire danger increases with the hot and dry pattern. We’ll also watch the potential for drought conditions to spread in the days and weeks ahead.
Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on conditions across British Columbia.