B.C. breaks temperature records for 3rd straight day

The ocean, Stanley Park and Downtown Vancouver is seen from a residential hillside in West Vancouver, B.C. in an undated stock photo. (Shutterstock)

For the third straight day, B.C. saw temperature records fall as mild weather persists in the province.

Preliminary data from Environment and Climate Change Canada showed 11 more maximum daily temperature records were broken or tied on Jan. 31. Earlier this week, dozens of temperature records also fell on Monday and Tuesday.

Many of the records broken Wednesday were decades old, including some last set in 1935. In Prince George, the mercury rose to 13.2 C, up from 11.7 C, recorded 89 years ago. Quesnel also broke its 1935 record. There, it got as warm as 13.5 C, up from the previous high of 12.2 C.

Some communities broke records for three straight days. Sechelt, for example, saw records fall Monday, Tuesday and again on Wednesday. On Jan. 31 in 1960 it got as warm as 15 C. But this year, it reached 16.1 C on that day.

In previous updates, Environment and Climate Change Canada said the province was experiencing "a very mild airmass" that was bringing these higher-than-normal temperatures.

Over the weekend and into next week, temperatures are predicted to cool down slightly in some areas, including Metro Vancouver. In that region, Saturday and Sunday are expected to see highs of 9 C and 8 C respectively, according to Environment Canada. Those temperatures are slightly above the average high for Feb. 3 and 4 – which is just above 7 C – but well below the highest temperature on record for those dates.

Metro Vancouver is also predicted to see a break from the rain, with sun in Environment Canada's forecast Saturday through Wednesday.

The list of maximum temperature records broken or tied on Wednesday according to Environment Canada's preliminary data includes: