It is official. The month of May was the driest on record for Vancouver.
Global BC meteorologist Mark Madryga says 4.2 millimeters was officially recorded on the rain gauge for the month. Average for May is 65 millimeters. Madryga says the previous low was 8.4 millimeters in 1946.
“There were only five days with measurable rainfall in May, compared to the average of 13 days,” he says.
The month of May also turned out warmer than usual, although not quite as record breaking.
The mean temperature for the month was 14.7 degrees Celsius, a full two degrees above average and tied for the second warmest May in the 79 years of records. The warmest May was in 1958.
Madryga says the consensus from computer long-range models is that June will be warmer than average as well. In the short term, after a couple of cooler days Tuesday and Wednesday this week, warmer and sunnier weather will return Thursday through at least the upcoming weekend.
But does it mean we are in for a warmer summer?
Madryga says the prediction for June through August overall is for most of Canada to experience above average temperatures, while southwest British Columbia is also predicted to have a drier than average summer.
Warmer, dryer weather conditions in B.C. have been keeping fire crews around the province busy as the wildfire season is off to an early start. Since April 1, B.C. saw a total of 383 wildfires, burning through 36,516 hectares.
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