The Alberniweather and Alberni Valley Climate Summary for May 2019
Catching up on this month… this post was actually written January 2 2020 but is back-dated so it makes sense in the grand scheme of things. 🙂
This month was marked by multiple heat records and one rain record on the only day of significant rain. Robertson Creek weather station (which has not been producing reliable data for the past few years and I thought had been deactivated) actually recorded ALL TIME RECORD heat on May 9th and 10th. The Airport also broke records on May 9th and 10th but did not get as high as Robertson Creek.
The overall average maximum temperature at the Airport was nearly 5ºC above normal for the month. That is extremely high. It was actually a little cooler in the City, which is more typical of a summer month than Spring.
It was also a very dry month with less than 1/4 of the normal rainfall falling. The vast majority of rain fell on a single day, May 14th.
Daily and All Time Records Set
Set at the Airport* since 1994 and compared to other stations** for “All Time” since 1900.
The Airport did not set any all time high records, however, the Robertson Creek station, which does not report regularly, measured temperatures on the same days that were higher than the Airport and actually broke the ALL TIME HIGH temperatures on May 9th and 10th. Records were set at both the Airport and Robertson Creek. It is not clear if Robertson Creek was the holder of the record previously, I have put the second place temperature in
- May 8 high temp 26.7º C: #1 is 31.5º C at Robertson Creek in 1987.
- May 9 high temp 28.7º C: #1 is 30.0º C at Robertson Creek in 2019, 2nd is 29.4º C at Beaver Creek in 1906.
- May 10 high temp 30.8º C: #1 is 32.0ºC at Robertson Creek in 2019, 2nd is 29.4º C at Port Alberni in 1946.
- May 14 high rain 17.3 mm: #1 is 22.4 mm at Robertson Creek in 2011.
- May 30 high temp 28.7º C: #1 is 33.0º C at Robertson Creek in 1986.
- May 31 high temp 28.5º C: #1 is 35.0º C at Robertson Creek in 1986.
May 2019 City Station Data Comparisons
Mean Min, Mean, and Mean Max Temperature,
Total Precipitation and Highest Wind
- Alberniweather: 9.9º C, 16.1º C, 22.8 C, NA*** , SSE 41.8 kph on 31st
- Alberni Elem. : NA*****
- Maquinna.: 10.1º C, 15.9º C, 22.9º C, 21.6 mm, N 24.0 kph on 17/18th
- Neptune: 9.9º C, 15.9º C, 23.6º C, NA*** , SSW 11.0 kph on 27th
- Nick’s (Maq area): 9.8º C, 15.6º C, 21.9º C, 15.4 mm, SW 27.8 kph on 1st/2nd.
***Alberniweather rain gauge faulty. ****Alberni Elementary station offline. *****Nick’s data currently unavailable (not Nicks fault :)).
Overall City Averages compared to Station of Record Averages and Normals
- City Average: 9.9º C, 15.9º C, 22.8º C, 18.5 mm
- Airport* : 7.1º C, 15.2º C, 23.3° C, 21.9 mm, NNW 12 kph on 18th/28th.
- Normal 1981-2010 (Rbrstn Creek): 6.0º C, 12.4º C 18.6° C, 87.8 mm
Differences from Normal
- City +3.9° C, +3.5º C, +4.2º C, -69.3 mm, (21.1% of normal)
- Official Airport +1.1° C, +2.8º C, +4.7º C, -65.9 mm (24.9% of normal)
Days of Precipitation*
Normal Days : Days This Month
>= 0.2 mm: 15.0 : 4
>= 5 mm: 5.2 : 1
>= 10 mm: 2.9 : 1
>= 25 mm: 0.54 : 0
* May have used backup Environment Canada Data source at WeatherStats.ca
**^^ Missing Data from Airport, Alberniweather broke existing Airport record temperature. Temperature at Alberniweather will be different. Usually Alberniweather underestimates temperatures in summer compared to Airport.
** Short Term means since 1995 at the new AVRA Airport. Airport Records are compared to the 30+ year weather stations of record since 1900 (1895 for rain) at Beaver Creek, Port Alberni "City" and Robertson Creek. Note that records pre 1950 may be more likely to over-estimate high temperatures.
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