A record-breaking run of frigid, wet spring weather on Vancouver Island shows no signs of slowing down — at least not this week.
Environment Canada has issued special weather statements for all of Vancouver Island warning of an “unseasonably strong” low-pressure system that will drench most of the region starting Tuesday night.
The storm will also bring with it strong, gusty southeasterly winds that will switch to southwesterly on Wednesday, “impacting western Vancouver Island, and potentially Qualicum, Victoria, Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley,” the weather agency said.
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Environment Canada says it’s not certain of the system’s exact track, and as it approaches landfall, weather warnings may be issued.
“The difference between this one and previous ones is that the low-pressure centre is going to track across Vancouver Island,” said Armel Castellan, meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada. “It could be North Island, it could be Mid-Island, it might even be South Island.”
The recent spell of cold weather has broken records on parts of Vancouver Island.
In Nanaimo and Port Alberni, the records for low daytime temperatures — which have stood since 1911 — were erased as thermometers remained below nine degrees.
“This pattern is more typical of fall and winter,” said Castellan. “There’s no doubt about that and we’ve been stuck in it for six weeks now.”
It makes it even more hard to believe that meteorological summer is only two weeks away on June 1.
⚠️ WEATHER ALERT ⚠️
Special #weather statements just issued for all of #VancouverIsland #YVR & the #BC South Coast due to a very low (ie strong) low-pressure system moving in. Definitely unusual for May! @CHEK_News @CHEK_media #yyj #BCwx #BCstorm pic.twitter.com/fg3s6lMife— Tess van Straaten (@tessvanstraaten) May 16, 2022
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