34 B.C. weather records shatter under arctic chill

Many cities and towns across B.C. are reporting what is likely the coldest run-up to Christmas many British Columbians have experienced.

On Wednesday, 34 weather records were broken across the province, with a couple of locations brushing against lows of almost -50 C.

The coldest location in B.C. was Puntzi Mountain, where a new daily record for Dec. 21 came in at 10 C lower than the previous record. On Wednesday the mercury fell to -48.1 C, smashing the old record of -38.9 C set in 1970,

The oldest record broken Wednesday was in Clearwater, where a new record of -32 C was set Tuesday, breaking the old record of -31.1 C set in 1921.

While many of the coldest areas were predictably in more northern climes, where just about every area was put into a deep chill.

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Vancouver reached a low of -12.9 C, breaking a previous record of -11.8 C set in 1990, and the Victoria Harbour area set a new record of -9.4 C, breaking an old record of -7.5 C set in 1983.

The Okanagan had a couple of records broken as well.

In Penticton, a new record of -20.6 C was set Wednesday, breaking the old record of -19.2 C set in 1990.  In Summerland, a new record of -21.2 C was set Tuesday. The old record of -20.5 was set in 1990.

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More records should be broken Thursday, with the extreme cold weather warnings still in effect for a large swath of the province.

Below are the rest of the temperature records for Dec. 21.

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Agassiz area 
New record of -13.6 C
Old record of -13.5 C set in 1990

Bella Bella area 
New record of -14.4 C
Old record of -10 C set in 2021

Bella Coola area  
New record of -18.6 C
Old record of -14.3 C set in 1990

Burns Lake area  
New record of -40.5 C
Old record of -38.2 C set in 2008

Kamloops area  
New record of -26.6 C
Old record of -25.6 C set in 1924

Clinton area 
New record of -35.3 C
Old record of -30.5  C set in 1990

Comox area  
Tied record of -10 C set in 1924

Dawson Creek area 
New record of -42.5 C
Old record of -38.9 C set in 1933

Fort Nelson area  
New record of -43.5 C
Old record of -42 C set in 1980

Fort St. John area 
New record of -42.5 C
Old record of -38.9 C set in 1933

Hope area  
New record of -17.5 C
Old record of -15.7  C set in 1990

Lillooet area 
New record of -24 C
Old record of -23.8 C set in 2008

Lytton area 
New record of -23.8 C
Old record of -20.8  C set in 1983

Mackenzie area  
New record of -35.2 CC
Old record of -34 C set in 1990

Malahat area  
New record of -12.2 C
Old record of -12 C set in 1990

Nakusp area  
New record of -22.2 C
Old record of -19.5 C set in 1983

Port Alberni area 
New record of -15.6 C
Old record of -14 C set in 1990

Port Hardy area 
New record of -9.8 C
Old record of -9.6 C set in 1990

Prince George area  
New record of -40.5 C
Old record of -35.1 C set in 2008

Prince Rupert area 
Tied record of -16.1 C set in 1970

Quesnel area 
New record of -41 C
Old record of -34.7 C set in 2008

Salmon Arm area 
New record of -28.6 C
Old record of -26.0 C set in 2008

Sandspit area
New record of -7.5 C
Old record of -7.2  C set in 1971

Sechelt area 
New record of -10.4 C
Old record of -9.5 C set in 1990

Smithers area 
New record of -36 C
Old record of -31.2 C set in 2008

Tatlayoko Lake area 
New record of -36.9 C
Old record of -31C set in 1990

Terrace area 
New record of -22.5 C
Old record of -19.5 C set in 1990

Williams Lake area 
New record of -36.6 C
Old record of -33.1 C set in 1990