Environment Canada warns of daylong hot spell in much of B.C.

It's going to be brief, but a hot one is on the cards for much of B.C. on Wednesday.

That is the warning from Environment Canada meteorologist Bobby Sekhon, who said most of the province will experience temperatures 5 C to 12 C above normal — though the forecaster says the temperatures will not be completely unseasonable.

Sekhon said that across the province, inland sections could see temperatures reaching the mid-30s, but for areas closer to the water, it will be cooler, reaching the high 20s.

He said a strong, but short-lived, ridge of high pressure over most of the province on Wednesday will bring the hot weather to most areas, apart from the North Coast.

"Generally, the highest temperature is going to be looking at places like Kamloops, Fraser Canyon, these type of places where we could see temperatures getting up to about 34 C," Sekhon said.

On Thursday, Sekhon said that cooler air and scattered showers will return for parts of the province, with the possibility of thunderstorms.

"That's been the nature of the weather over the past several weeks," Sekhon said. "We've seen ridges of high pressure bring warm dry weather and then followed by many days of cooler weather.

"This is kind of the same cyclical pattern that's continuing this spring," he added.

Monica Bhandari with ACORN Canada, an organization which advocates for low-income people, said that even though the hot temperatures are in the forecast for one day, it's important to check on vulnerable residents to make sure they are cool and hydrated.

"Check on your neighbours, especially if they fall into those vulnerable categories where they are elderly or they have some mobile challenges," Bhandari said. 

Wildfire risk

The B.C. Wildfire Service said while the hot weather is expected to be brief on Wednesday, it is a cause for concern.

"What concerns us about these weather phenomena is that what follows a ridge is usually lots of wind and a potential for thunderstorms," said fire information officer Emelie Peacock.

"These thunderstorms, they could bring new wildfire starts to certain regions of the province."

The wildfire service is advising residents to follow fire bans in place, and to be extra vigilant when using any type of open flame that could spark a wildfire.

As of Tuesday night, there are 42 active wildfires in the province, 15 of which are categorized as out of control, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service website.

Warmer than normal summer

Warmer than normal temperatures are possible for the majority of the country this summer according to The Weather Network's seasonal forecasts for the months of June, July and August. 

Weather Network meteorologist Doug Gillham says the "big picture" forecast has some similarities to the summer of 2021 — a season marked in Western Canada by drought, wildfires, water shortages and a deadly heat wave in B.C.

"When you look at [the] big picture [it] has some similarities. I hesitate to bring that up because nobody in B.C. wants to hear a reference to that year. That does not mean we're going to see identical weather," said Gillham.

He added they think the focus of the heat may be a bit further east, in the southern Prairies.

The B.C. coast is expected to see near normal temperatures and precipitation, with the exception of a wetter than normal forecast near the Yukon boundary. Into the central and southern Interior, conditions are forecasted to be warmer and drier than normal, Gillham said.