Several B.C. communities had a record-breaking Friday because of a high pressure ridge that brought temperatures into the high teens.
A total of 10 areas broke new daily temperature records for March 15, with Squamish reaching a high of 19.5 C. The previous record for March 15 in the town was 17.0 C, set in 1988.
More records may be broken this weekend, as Environment Canada is predicting sustained warm temperatures.
For example, Squamish is expected to reach highs of 22 C on Saturday and Sunday.
At noon, Cultus Lake near Chilliwack was at 17.9 C, making it the nation’s hot spot at the time. Conversely, the nation’s cold spot was Eureka, a research base on Ellesmere Island in Nunavut, at -40.9 C.
In the Okanagan, temperatures are forecasted to be between 17 and 20 C during the weekend.
Notably, Hope was the nation’s hot spot on Friday at 19.8 C, but that temperature did not break the town’s record for March 15, which stands at 22.8 C.
Below are the 10 communities that broke daily temperature records for March 15.
Blue River
- New record: 16.9 C
- Old record: 15.9 C, set in 1992
Burns Lake
- New record: 11.5 C
- Old record: 11.4 C, set in 1986
Gibsons
- New record: 13.7 C
- Old record: 13.0 C, set in 1996
Mackenzie
- New record: 12.9 C
- Old record: 11.2 C, set in 1981
Puntzi Mountain
- New record: 15.5 C
- Old record: 13.3 C, set in 1972
Quesnel
- New record: 18.4 C
- Old record: 16.7 C, set in 1905
Sechelt
- New record: 13.7 C
- Old record: 12.5 C, set in 1996
Smithers
- New record: 12.1 C
- Old record: 11.7 C, set in 1986
Squamish
- New record: 19.5 C
- Old record: 17.0 C, set in 1988
Tatlayoko Lake
- New record: 17.7 C
- Old record: 16.1 C, set in 1947
