An all-time heat record melted away Monday as temperatures in Greater Victoria reached 39.8 C.
The good news is that some relief is expected as the weather pattern shifts slightly eastward, bringing cooler air off the ocean, easing temperatures on the west and southern parts of Vancouver Island.
“It looks like another record-breaking day for the Island because these temperatures are so out of whack, so above what the records generally are, especially for coastal areas,” said meteorologist Terri Lang of Environment and Climate Change Canada.
The overnight low was expected to be 17 C, while today’s forecast high is 29.
“It’s going to feel a lot different,” said Lang. “Even though 29 is still quite warm … relative to 40 C, it’s going to feel good.”
The heat might be around a little longer on the upper east side of Vancouver Island, depending on when the surge of cooler air comes through, he said.
At 4 p.m. Monday, the Victoria Gonzales weather station recorded a temperature of 39.8 C — even higher than the all-time record high of 38.3 recorded Sunday at Gonzales.
Before Sunday, the highest temperature ever recorded at Gonzales, where records have been kept since 1874, was 36 C.
The heat wave began Friday as a stagnant “heat dome” — an intense high-pressure system — settled over most of B.C.
On Saturday, a new record high of 32.5 for Victoria Gonzales smashed the previous record of 31 set on the same day in 2006. The airport also set a new record with a sweltering 35.8 C high, shattering the 29.5 reached on the same day in 1995.
The temperature soared to 41.3 C in Port Alberni Sunday, likely an all-time record for that city.
The heat proved too much for many restaurants. A Facebook post said The Blue Fox, the Bent Mast, Rumrunner, Milestones, John’s Place, Mary’s Bleue Moon, The Mint, Bucky’s, Lido, Shine, and Fifth Street changed their menus, their hours or closed their doors.
When the kitchen temperature soared to 45 C at Shirley Delicious Cafe Sunday morning, owner Sheena Mercer called it a day and sent six staff home.
“We had our double ovens running. We have a flat top to cook breakfast and it was just unbearable to be around the equipment,” Mercer said Monday. “I looked at the weather report and saw that it was going to be hotter today and decided not to open. I felt awful, sticky, lethargic, irritated. I don’t do well with heat at all.”
Mercer planned to put a round of baking through around 4 a.m. today, then serve everything else cold — salads, wraps, lemonade and cold-brewed coffee.
Baking was too much of a challenge at Demitasse, where the chocolate was liquefying and the butter was separating. Don Amores Tortilleria adjusted its menu and did not turn on its ovens.
Greater Victoria is also experiencing an ice shortage, said Glenn Davies, owner of Simply Pure Ice and Water.
“I’ve got 84 customers out there, like gas stations — none of them have any ice. I’m running semi-loads — 53-foot trailers full of ice — from the plant right now,” said Davies. “All the restaurants are ordering from us, too. All their ice machines, as soon as it gets hot, production cuts to almost half because they are air-cooled.”
People from long-term-care homes have come directly to Simply Pure.
Amid the record temperatures, the Sooke School District is leaving it up to parents whether their kids come to the school today. In a late-afternoon message, the district said schools will be open but buses are cancelled.
“It’s up to parents as to whether or not you send your child to school. We respect your decision,” it said.
The district also asked parents to watch their email for instructions from school principals regarding picking up belongings and other year-end details.
Regular classes ended last week in the Greater Victoria School District.
— With a file from Andrew Duffy
