Southern B.C. remains sweltering under the 10th day of a heat wave across the region.
Several temperature records were smashed Monday, including Rock Creek where temperatures reached 39.3 C, breaking the old record of 38.9 C set in 1929.
The hot spots in Canada were Spences Bridge and Ashcroft at a sizzling 40.5 C says Global BC meteorologist Mark Madryga.
“Lytton was close behind at 40.3 C.”
But this hot weather is not expected to stick around much longer.
Tuesday will remain hot, with many highs in the Lower Mainland reaching 25 to 30 C and 35 to 38 C in the Southern Interior.
“Further cooling by a few degrees will occur Wednesday, and markedly cooler air will arrive on Thursday and Friday as marine air substantially settles over the South Coast,” says Madryga.
“A chance of showers — the first rain in over three weeks — is in the forecast for Metro Vancouver on Thursday and Friday. We will not experience a rebound to the hot sunny weather for a while as a cool, showery low pressure trough will arrive on Sunday through B.C. Day Monday.”
Record-breaking electricity use
Due to the record-breaking temperatures, BC Hydro says on Monday evening a record was broken as electricity use reached more than 7,800 megawatts.
Monday’s demand record represents a four per cent increase over the peak hourly demand last Monday, when temperatures were already quite high, and 18 per cent over the same day last year.
BC Hydro says the demand for power this month has been the highest BC Hydro has ever seen in July.