If you felt like this past weekend’s subzero temperatures were the coldest you’ve ever felt in Victoria… you may not be wrong.
According to Environment Canada, Friday marked the coldest January 12th at the Victoria International Airport on record, clocking in at a brisk -11°C—beating out the previous record low of -9.4°C set in 1963.
The weather agency’s records for Victoria in particular date all of the way back to 1941, and with the average low being 0.6°C on this day, so it’s safe to say this is the chilliest weather some Victorians have ever experienced.
The teeth-chattering temps were largely due to an Arctic Outflow Warning that battered Victoria as well as the rest of Vancouver Island, which is a massive cold front that combines Arctic air with strong outflow winds, resulting in unprecedentedly low temperatures.
But amidst salting frosty sidewalks and scraping icy windshields, there was some fun to be had—many bodies of water froze over completely during the weekend, resulting in a rare but welcome occurrence in Greater Victoria—outdoor skating rinks!
Though the temperatures appear to be on the upswing now, a recent weather statement from Environment Canada has indicated the imminent arrival of heavy snow and freezing rain in certain areas of BC’s south coast.
On Tuesday, a pacific low-pressure system is set to approach the coast from the west. The moisture within this system is anticipated to combine with the prevailing Arctic air, resulting in a complex blend of rain, freezing rain, and snow on Tuesday evening into Wednesday.
Are you sick of the cold, or do you welcome the the arctic temps? Let us know in the comment section!
