Just in time for summer, Vancouver Island is having its first hot spell of the year, with a special weather statement from Environment Canada heralding temperatures into the high 20s through at least Tuesday.
People were enjoying themselves at local beaches Thursday and looking ahead to more seasonal warmth.
Kieran Blair, taking in the midday heat with India Dania, said they left behind rainy weather in Vancouver on Wednesday and were happy to find sun in Victoria.
“It was so miserable, it was cold,” Dania said. “We were wearing coats and sweatshirts.”
Blair said that 2022 has been quite a contrast to 2021.
“Last year, we had a heat dome and an atmospheric river followed that,” he said.
“Whatever they’re going to come up with this year is OK as long as it’s hot.”
Mike Huffman, who was wading in the ocean with his five-year-old daughter, Juniper, said it’s nice to be warm again.
“It felt like a really long winter,” he said.
He said he is hopeful the warmth will keep coming.
“We always like to get out to the beach and everything,” Huffman said. “The kids love the water, we definitely want to get back in there.”
Emergency Management B.C. said while there is not a heat warning in the forecast, the cooler-than-normal temperatures around the province in recent weeks might intensify the effects of warmer conditions.
Recommendations include preparing a heat plan that identifies cool zones in the home and at places such as community centres, and checking on vulnerable relatives and neighbours. Potential issues when temperatures rise can range from heat stroke and heat exhaustion to heat rash and fainting.
Environment Canada meteorologist Derek Lee said people should be careful when swimming because the water could be cooler due to the low spring temperatures, leading to a risk of hypothermia.
A developing ridge of high pressure is what has turned the tide for the weather, he said.
“Usually, these ridges of high pressure are what bring us our nice weather on the coast,” he said. “Ridges of high pressure usually bring the sunny skies and dry conditions.
“This is our first significant heat of this year.”
Island temperatures during the warm stretch should range from 25 to 30 C, Lee said, with a Victoria high of 28 C expected on Sunday.
It doesn’t appear any records will be broken, but temperatures could be as much as 7 C above average for this time of year, he said. “These temperatures are much, much milder than the heat dome last year.”
The anniversary of the heat dome is the last week of June, and the peak Victoria temperature during that period was 39.4 C on June 28, 2021.
Ross Bay Home Hardware has seen signs of people looking to prepare for summer heat, said Justin Rathgaber.
“I would say that we’re seeing an uptick in sales here of the fans and the air conditioners.”
Both are still in stock, he said.
Janet Reynolds, manager of the Beacon Drive-In, which opened its doors in 1958, is another person who is happy that the heat has arrived.
While business has been good despite the cool weather, summer conditions are welcome, she said.
“We should get a lot busier.”
The business sells about 1,000 ice cream cones on a typical summer day.
At Fisherman’s Wharf, Barb’s Fish & Chips owner Ian Poyntz said warm weather always makes a difference.
“We are weather-dependent,” he said. “When the sun comes out, people basically come in droves.
“We’re gearing up for a busy weekend.”
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