115-year-old temperature record broken in B.C. Saturday

Salmon Arm. B.C., is seen in this undated photo. (Credit: Shutterstock)

Rather than coming in like a lion, March began in B.C. Saturday with spring-like temperatures that broke warm-weather records in a dozen communities, according to preliminary data from Environment Canada.

In Salmon Arm, the temperature reached 14.3 C – shattering the record for the warmest March 1 that was set more than a century ago, when it reached 11.7 C in 1910. In Kelowna, the mercury hit 13.3 C breaking the nearly century-old record of 12.8 C set in 1932.

Other places in the southern Interior that saw record high temperatures included Clearwater where it was 14.5 C, Merritt where it was 16.4 C, Osoyoos where it was 14.9 C and Vernon where it was 12.9 C.

On the Lower Mainland, the temperature in Pitt meadows was16.7 C, tying a record set in 1943. In Abbotsford it was 16.9 C, breaking the record set in 1990.

Friday also saw record-breaking highs in B.C., where five communities recorded their warmest Feb. 28 on record.

The complete list of records tied or broken Saturday:

• Abbotsford area: New record of 16.9 C; old record of 16.4 C set in 1990
• Blue River Area: New record of 15.4 C; old record of 9.6 C set in 1990
• Clearwater area: New record of 14.5 C; old record of 14.0 C set in 2010
• Kelowna area: New record of 13.3 C; old record of 12.8 C set in 1932
• Merritt area: New record of 16.4 C; old record of 14.5 C set in 1994
• Osoyoos area: New record of 14.9 C ; old record of 14.0 C set in 1980
• Pitt Meadows area: Tied record of 16.7 C set in 1943
• Salmon Arm area: New record of 14.3 C; Old record of 11.7 set in 1910
• Tatlayoko Lake area: New record of 14.1 C; Old record of 12.5 C set in 1990
• Trail area: New record of 12.9 C; old record of 12.1 C set in 2010
• Vernon area: New record of 12.9 C; old record of 12.5 C set in 2013
• Whistler area: New record of 12.9 C; old record of 11.6 C set in 1988