If you’ve noticed yourself turning down the thermostat lately, there’s a good reason.
A surge of unseasonably warm weather has rewritten the record books across various parts of BC, particularly in Greater Victoria.
Wednesday witnessed the breaking of multiple long-standing temperature records.
Among the notable records that succumbed to the unusually warm conditions, Greater Victoria saw temperatures soar to 12.9 degrees, surpassing a record firmly established in 1922.
Moreover, Environment Canada reports that the impact of this atypical warmth wasn’t confined to Victoria alone.
West Vancouver experienced a remarkable high of 14 degrees, shattering a 1986 record by an impressive margin of 2.5 degrees. Similarly, in White Rock, temperatures soared to 13.5 degrees, eclipsing a record that had endured for 88 years.
The warmer weather is partly due to a Pacific frontal system that passed over this week, bringing warm air and strong winds with it.
The records that tumbled on December 27th highlight the exceptional nature of this weather phenomenon:
- Esquimalt: Registered a high of 12.9ºC, surpassing the previous record of 12.8ºC from 1922.
- Victoria Harbour Area, Victoria (Hartland) Area, and University of Victoria Area: All registered 12.9ºC, surpassing the 1922 record of 12.8ºC
- Malahat Area: Marked 9.7ºC, exceeding the previous record of 9.4ºC from 2005
- Estevan Point: Hit 13.3ºC, breaking the old record of 12ºC set in 1979
- Gibsons: Recorded 13.7ºC, surpassing the 2022 record of 10.9ºC
- Osoyoos: Reached 6.9ºC, breaking the 1994 record of 6.2ºC
- Powell River: Recorded 11.2ºC, surpassing the 1947 record of 10.6ºC
- Sechelt Area: Reached 13.7ºC, breaking the 1980 record of 13ºC
- West Vancouver: Hit 14ºC, breaking the 1986 record of 11.5ºC
- White Rock: Recorded 13.5ºC, surpassing the 1935 record of 12.2ºC
