B.C. weather: 13 daily records set under ongoing ridge of high pressure

These are the dog days of summer, and the dogs are barking loudly in B.C., where the season-long trend of record-breaking heat continued Friday.

In all, 13 communities set new highs for daily temperatures on Aug. 2, with Lytton leading the way at 40.3 C and eclipsing the town’s previous record of 38.6 C, set in 2014.

Lytton was also the nation’s hotspot on Friday.

The Kootenays were also scorching hot, with Trail’s mercury rising to 39.5 C and Creston’s reaching 37.5 C.

1:56 B.C. evening weather forecast: August 2

Below are the areas that either set or tied their daily maximum temperature record for Aug. 2.

Blue River

• New record: 35.8 C
• Old record: 33.9 C, set in 1974

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Castlegar

• New record: 39.1 C
• Old record: 38.9 C, set in 1951

Clearwater

• New record: 36.8 C
• Old record: 36.0 C, set in 2009

Clinton

• Tied record of 32.8 C, set in 2009

Cranbrook

• New record: 37.2 C
• Old record: 35.6 C, set in 1965

Creston

• New record: 37.5 C
• Old record: 36.1 C, set in 1922

Lytton

• New record: 40.3 C
• Old record: 38.6 C, set in 2014

Powell River

• New record: 29.9 C
• Old record: 29.0 C, set in 2017

Princeton

• New record: 37.4 C
• Old record: 37.2 C, set in 1968

Puntzi Mountain

• New record: 33.9 C
• Old record: 32.2 C, set in 1974

Sparwood

• New record: 34.6 C
• Old record: 32.8 C, set in 1994

Tatlayoko Lake

• New record: 33.5 C
• Old record: 33.4 C, set in 2009

Trail

• New record: 39.5 C
• Old record: 38.5 C, set in 2015

Vernon

• New record: 36.3 C
• Old record: 35.9 C, set in 2009

1:49 B.C. Wildfire officials warn of more hot weather and increasing risk

The likelihood of more weather records being set in the short term is highly, courtesy of a ridge of high pressure that’s been floating above Southern B.C. since mid-week.

That weather pattern has resulted in ongoing heat warnings for many regions, where temperatures are expected to reach the mid-to-upper 30s.

Areas under heat warnings include eastern Vancouver Island, parts of Howe Sound, Whistler, the Fraser Canyon plus the Thompson, Cariboo, Okanagan, Boundary and Kootenay regions.

“The above-average heat will persist until the end of the weekend,” said Environment Canada, “when the temperatures are expected to cool below warning criteria.”