BC coping with record high temperatures



September 3/17


These have stayed dry since June
The Province of British Columbia, Canada, continues to swelter under unseasonably hot, dry conditions. This forest fire season in the province has been the worst on record with numerous mass evacuations needed. It has also been the most costly.

Eastern Vancouver Island is usually drier than the west coast and much of the mainland coast, but this year it is parched. A combination of higher than usual temperatures and lack of rain has dried out the land.

There has been no useful rainfall since June and none is in the forecast. The water hauling trucks are being kept busy in the rural areas.

Saturday, we saw another upswing in temperatures with temperatures once again peaking in the 30s Celsius. In my area today’s temperature is expected to reach 32 degrees C. (90 F). The government web site warns that this weather system seems to be stalled over the province.

We may look on the bright side, I suppose. The stagnant air may allow outflow winds from the interior which is even hotter than here on the coast. With the winds we can expect to be blanketed with smoke from the numerous fires still burning. The smoky haze may prevent temperatures reaching record breaking highs.

This may only be a blip in the weather. Weather is the day to day changes while climate change refers to longer term trends. The best scientific evidence has it that our climate is changing and warming. The effects of a warmer world include more extremes of weather, both hotter and drier but also in some areas wetter and with more dangerous storms.

Further Reading:

Gov of Canada            

NOAA                
http://greenplanetwatch.blogspot.ca/

              
Location: Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

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