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A prolonged ridge of high pressure continued to set warm weather records over the weekend across much of B.C.
Environment Canada reports at least 38 weather stations posted record highs on Sunday, two more than on Saturday.
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The third day of an unseasonably warm and sunny stretch broke records in Vancouver and several parts of the Lower Mainland, Kelowna and other communities in the Okanagan, Merritt, Nelson, Port Alberni, Prince George and as far north as Fort St. John.
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The temperature tipped above 20 degrees Celsius in 15 of those record-breaking locations, including Abbotsford, Pitt Meadows, Dawson Creek, Squamish and Quesnel.
Vancouver’s and Richmond’s daytime highs of 15.5 C and 14.4 C broke records set way back in 1900.
While some spots barely nudged over old records, other regions obliterated them. Prince George and Fort St. John hit 20.3 C and 19.7 C, nearly seven degrees above earlier records set in 1941 and 1910. Mackenzie hit 17.1, nearly six above the record high from 2019.
Vancouver-based meteorologist Nan Lu of Environment and Climate Change Canada said on the weekend the system should give way to cooler, wetter conditions starting Wednesday.
Data from the weather agency posted late Monday showed nearly two dozen more records were likely set that day, though the temperature readings are estimates and may be adjusted. While Tuesday will also remain pleasant and sunny, temperatures should moderate further as the high-pressure ridge weakens.
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Here’s a list of B.C. communities that set daily maximum temperature records* on Sunday, March 17, followed by the old record and the year it was set in brackets:
Abbotsford: 21.5 (20.6, 1947)
Blue River: 20.2 (14.2, 2019)
Burns Lake: 15.9 (12.8, 1957)
Cache Creek: 21 (20.6, 1947)
Clearwater: 20.6 (18.3, 1915)
Clinton: 17.2 (12.9, 2007)
Dawson Creek: 20.9 (12.8, 1930)
Fort St. John: 19.7 (12.8, 1910)
Gibsons: 18.8 (16.2, 2019)
Kelowna: 18.9 (16.1, 1914)
Mackenzie: 17.1 (11.5, 2019)
Malahat: 18.2 (14.7, 2019)
Merritt: 23.2 (19.4, 1972)
Nakusp: 13.6 (13.1, 2019)
Nelson: 18.6 (16.7, 1947)
Osoyoos: 22.2 (20, 1972)
Pemberton: 20.9 (18.1, 2019)
Pitt Meadows: 22.5 (19.5, 2019)
Port Alberni: 20.9 (18.9, 1930)
Powell River: 19.4 (16.7, 1972)
Prince George: 20.2 (13.3, 1941)
Princeton: 22.5 (20.6, 1947)
Puntzi Mountain: 18 (12.1, 2007)
Quesnel: 22.8 (17.2, 1902)
Richmond: 14.6 (14.4, 1900)
Sechelt: 18.8 (16.2, 2019)
Smithers: 16.0 (11.7, 1947)
Sparwood: 16.9 (13.3, 1972)
Squamish: 22.2 (21.3, 2019)
Summerland: 17.5 (16.1, 1972)
Tatlayoko Lake: 18.4 (17.2, 1947)
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Trail: 20.8 (18.3, 1947)
Vancouver: 15.1 (14.4, 1900)
Vernon: 19.3 (18.3, 1914)
West Vancouver: 18.9 (17.8, 1995)
Whistler: 18.9 (14.4, 2019)
Williams Lake: 19.5 (14.9, 2007)
Yoho National Park: 12.5 (12.2, 1947)
* Note that records have been kept going back to the late 1800s in some areas, more recently in others
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