As suspected, the wishful hope for a quick end to the oppressive heat yesterday doesn’t appear to be coming to pass and it has a lot of people worried.
Record Heat Monday (and Sunday) – Outside Chance Today :
But first, there were 25 records broken in BC yesterday according to the Environment Canada summary page. That doesn’t include the hot spot, Lytton, at 40.1ºC but it does include us. We hit 35.7ºC at the Airport (35.9ºC at Alberniweather) easily breaking the 2004 record of 33.4ºC. That was the second day in a row we broke a short term record.
Today we are forecast to get to 33ºC so it is not likely that we will break the record of 34.3º in 2002. But it is possible. I actually think we will only get up to around 30ºC but we’ll see. It will still be plenty warm!
Chance of Rain Evaporates – Returns Wednesday:
The big news yesterday was that there was going to be a big switch today to cooler wetter weather. That’s not going to happen. There might be very isolated showers on Southern or West Vancouver Island, but the emphasis is isolated. Most of the activity is staying well to the South in Washington State, including lightning storms.
There does seem to be a better chance of rain for Wednesday. Last nights run of the UW forecast (above) predicted around 4 mm of rain to fall between 5PM Tuesday and 5PM Wednesday. The Canadian Ensemble is even less optimistic with the consensus picking up only trace rainfall Wednesday and nothing of any significance until next week.
Good news though is it should be dry for the Starlight movie.
BC Forest Service Asks for Urgent Aid
The Province is nearly 100% covered by High or Extreme fire danger ratings. Much of Vancouver Island is in Extreme danger.
At last night’s City Council the Fire Chief Tim Pley made an urgent request of council to allow the Port Alberni Fire Department to contract with the Fire Service to be on standby for initial attack for any nearby forest fires. The fire season is so bad that our local wildfire resources are being used all over the province leaving us unprotected even though we are also under an extreme threat of fire.
This is a very serious situation. City calls for the PAFD will still take precedence over forest fire calls however the possibility is now very real that if there is a conflicting call for the Fire services, either a home could be without immediate attention if the PAFD is called away dealing with a forest fire, or a forest fire could be left to burn while the PAFD deals with issues at home.
It all raises the question again.
Why is the Martin Mars water bomber sitting on the beach at Sproat Lake.
I hope and pray a worst case scenario does not play out. But so far this summer, all of the predictions for heat and drought and fire have come true.
Stay safe out there, conserve water, enjoy the warmth.
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