Thunderstorm, dry lightning risk raises B.C. wildfire concerns amid heat event
With little relief in the forecast, B.C.'s temperatures continue to remain high and conditions will remain tinder-dry, with a chance of dry lightning and thunderstorms, keeping the threat for wildfires elevated
A spell of summer-like heat will continue in British Columbia this week.
A significant ridge of high pressure over the West Coast has sent temperatures soaring to well-above-seasonal norms in the first days of May.
The sweltering heat in B.C. continued on Monday, with nine weather stations recording temperatures above 30°C--with the Interior valleys dominating the heat.
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While the coastal section will get a brief, cooling trend Wednesday and Thursday, the heat will return and continue for inland sections.
The risk for wildfires will be elevated due to the chance of thunderstorms and dry lightning amid the parched conditions.
Exceptional warmth in B.C.
On Tuesday, another seven weather stations surpassed the 30-degree mark, with Lytton climate reaching a preliminary, sizzling 33.5°C in the afternoon.
Other preliminary temperatures include:
Pemberton: 32°C
Ashcroft: 31.7°C
Osoyoos: 30.5°C
Monday's temperatures
Lytton: 31.9°C
Pemberton airport: 31.5°C
Lytton climate: 31.4°C
Lillooet: 31.2°C
Squamish airport: 30.9°C
Port Alberni: 30.6°C
Hope airport: 30.4°C
Ashcroft: 30.2°C
Hope: 30.2°C
Exceptional, early-season warmth.
Even Vancouver airport hit 23.9°C, unusually early for a marine station, and the sixth-highest reported that early.
The first 30°C of the year was recorded in Canada in Lytton on April 20, but the current heat event has truly surpassed that across several locations.
Sunday: 31.2°C in Osoyoos Monday: 31.9°C in Lytton Tuesday:33.5°C in Lytton
Rex block causes B.C. heat to rise
A ridge of high pressure is sitting over B.C. while a large area of low pressure spins over California.
The setup is a Rex block, which occurs 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.
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.
By Wednesday and Thursday, the systems and upper level will finally shift and allow a temporary, cooling trend for coastal sections.
Wednesday sees thunderstorm with dry lightning threat
An upper trough will drift across eastern B.C. on Wednesday, and will be the trigger for scattered thunderstorms across the southern and central Interior, and the Columbia-Kootenay region.
Lighting with the dry conditions risks some forest fire starts, along with some small hail in more developed updrafts and thunderstorms.
On Wednesday, the ridge flattens a tad, but will remain near the coast through Thursday, before a weak trough knocks temperatures down substantially on Friday.
Long-range forecast holds little relief
Through May 15, there’s no rainfall showing up for the inner South Coast and southwestern B.C., where drought conditions will continue to expand.
The upcoming weekend will once again feature a blossoming ridge and building temperatures. Although some temperatures may approach the 30-degree mark, it’ll be a few degrees cooler than the current heat pattern.
Temperatures at Vancouver airport will settle to near normal late week, but more warmth is expected next week. An above-normal temperature trend is forecast for the next two weeks.
The temperature trend the next seven to 10 days will continue to elevate temperatures five to eight degrees above normal throughout much of the Interior, with the coast within a few degrees of normal.
Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on conditions across British Columbia.