B.C. heat wave causes record-breaking power consumption
Temperature records smashed through Southern Interior, Lower Mainland
It was a record-breaking week for summer temperatures across the province — which led to record-breaking power consumption, according to BC Hydro.
Environment Canada issued a statement that a strong ridge of high pressure over southern B.C. caused temperatures to soar, hitting 38.5 C in Kamloops, breaking a record set in 1915.
Princeton saw a record set in 1897 broken as temperatures hit 36 C.
Records were also broken at the Vancouver Airport, Vancouver Harbour, Sparwood and Williams Lake, while Pemberton tied its 1974 record of 34.4 C.
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Vancouver?src=hash">#Vancouver</a> harbour at 30 C right now & <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YVR?src=hash">#YVR</a> at 29 C - both breaking 1967 records! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/yvrwx?src=hash">#yvrwx</a>
—@JWagstaffeRecord power use
BC Hydro said the temperatures this week also set a new record for summer power consumption when peak hourly demand hit a new high on Monday evening.
At its peak, BC Hydro customers consumed 7,851 megawatts — 12 per cent higher than last Monday, and higher than the previous summer record of 7,468 megawatts set on Aug.11, 2014.
The milestone is actually the second broken record this year. On Jan. 3, BC Hydro recorded the highest ever peak hourly demand at 10,126 megawatts during a cold weather snap.
According to climate scientists, extreme swings in temperature like heat waves and cold snaps will become increasingly common in future due to climate change linked to greenhouse gas emissions.
With files from the Canadian Press