British Columbia Breaks Temperature Records As Atmospheric River Delivers Warm, Moist Air | The Canadian News

British Columbia set 30 temperature records in two days as the third in a series of atmospheric rivers that drenched the coast with unusually warm rains.

Nine daily temperature records fell on Tuesday, and another 21 on Wednesday, including a maximum of 22.5 C recorded in Penticton.

That pleasant read is now the warmest December day on record in British Columbia, and it tied the Canadian December record of all time, set in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1982.

Notable records on December 1 include Summerland at 20.7 C, Osoyoos at 18.1 C, Salmon Arm at 17.9 C, and Vernon at 17.5 C.

Many of the highs were 10 to 20 degrees above the seasonal average, according to Global BC meteorologist Kristi Gordon.

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“The atmospheric river pushed the heat with the humidity,” Gordon said.

“That is one of the dangerous aspects of an atmospheric river: it can melt a significant amount of snow on the ground with its heavy, gentle rain and all that melting snow adds to the amount of water in the rivers and on the ground. ”.

While British Columbia can see between 20 and 30 atmospheric rivers per season, Gordon said 2021 has been exceptional with eight of these systems in operation this fall.

“Early season atmospheric rivers can have the greatest impact on rivers because the snow cover is still relatively thin,” he said.

“Therefore, warm air temperatures and warm rain can easily melt snow.”