It was a record-setting Friday for several B.C. communities, courtesy of a ridge of high pressure that pushed temperatures into the high teens.
In all, 10 areas set new daily highs for March 15, with Squamish being the hottest at 19.5 C. The town’s former record for March 15 was 17.0 C, which was set in 1988.
More records could fall this weekend, as Environment Canada is calling for sustained warm temperatures.
Squamish, for example, is projected to see highs of 22 C for Saturday and Sunday.
At noon, it was 17.9 C in Cultus Lake, near Chilliwack, which was the nation’s hot spot at the time. Conversely, the nation’s cold spot was Eureka, a research base on Ellesmere Island in Nunavut, at -40.9 C.
In the Okanagan, temperatures are expected to range between 17 and 20 C for the weekend.
Notably, Hope was the nation’s hot spot on Friday at 19.8 C, but that mark didn’t break the town’s record for March 15, which is 22.8 C.
Below are the 10 communities that set daily weather records for March 15.
Blue River
- New record: 16.9 C
- Old record: 15.9 C, set in 1992
Burns Lake
- New record: 11.5 C
- Old record: 11.4 C, set in 1986
Gibsons
- New record: 13.7 C
- Old record: 13.0 C, set in 1996
Mackenzie
- New record: 12.9 C
- Old record: 11.2 C, set in 1981
Puntzi Mountain
- New record: 15.5 C
- Old record: 13.3 C, set in 1972
Quesnel
- New record: 18.4 C
- Old record: 16.7 C, set in 1905
Sechelt
- New record: 13.7 C
- Old record: 12.5 C, set in 1996
Smithers
- New record: 12.1 C
- Old record: 11.7 C, set in 1986
Squamish
- New record: 19.5 C
- Old record: 17.0 C, set in 1988
Tatlayoko Lake
- New record: 17.7 C
- Old record: 16.1 C, set in 1947
Comments