Temperatures are around five degrees warmer than normal, and Environment and Climate Change Canada says multiple records fell over the weekend.
Meteorologist Derek Lee says temperatures of near or over 20 degrees were recorded in some areas between Saturday and Sunday. That includes a record of 19, which broke a 1947 record for Victoria.
Port Alberni, however, took the lead on the Island with a Sunday afternoon high of 20.6 degrees. That beat out a record of 18.7 set in 1930.
On the Sunshine Coast, Gibsons and Sechelt set new records on both Saturday and Sunday. Gibsons and Sechelt hit 13.7 on Saturday, breaking records from 1996. They also hit nearly 19 on Sunday, which broke a record set five years ago.
Lee says the reason for this weather is down to a high-pressure system hanging over the area. It’s expected to stick around until Wednesday before temperatures return to seasonal norms.
This also means we will have more cloud cover and rain in the forecast. While there is the potential for more cold temperatures to arrive, he says it is not likely to affect the coast much.
“It is looking like a wet pattern is in store for us for the rest of March, and for the cold coming in, I think it will mainly affect the interior where they’re going to see major temperature swings of up to at least 20 degrees,” said Lee.
“For the coast itself, we can get a bit cooler than what we’re experiencing now but the temperatures are more or less seasonal with some cooler nights in the forecast.”
Lee adds that the higher temperatures will likely make the snow melt a bit faster, but cooler overnight lows and short sunlight hours mean it won’t melt as quickly.
