KELOWNA — April was a record-breaking month for heat in the valley.
“There were a number of days in the second half of April that were well above average,” says Global Okanagan meteorologist, Wesla Wong.
In Kelowna, there was a four-day stretch of record temperature days from April 18 to April 21, with temperatures between 27.4 degrees and 27.7 degrees, according to Environment Canada.
Wong says the weather pattern causing the stretch of warm weather in April was caused by a large upper ridge.
“[The] huge upper ridge that week brought in warm air. An upper ridge will block weather systems from moving into B.C.,” says Wong.
With a lack of rain in April, it was also the second-driest month on record, according to Coldwells, with last year marking the driest on record.
The weather pattern seen in April is a similar one to what we are seeing right now, according to Wong.
“Another upper ridge will build again on Friday bringing brighter and warmer conditions in the forecast for the end of the work week,” says Wong.