Temperatures ‘warming up substantially’ on Vancouver Island, with sun forecast: meteorologist

People on Vancouver Island and in other parts of B.C. will experience the year’s “first real stretch of warm weather” this week, with sunny conditions expected into the weekend, according to an Environment Canada meteorologist.

Brian Proctor with the weather agency says people throughout B.C.’s Inner South Coast can expect “just above seasonal” temperatures, including in Nanaimo, where five consecutive days of sunshine starting Tuesday will culminate with 23 C temperatures by Friday.

“May’s a very interesting month for us on the Inner South Coast of B.C.,” Proctor told CHEK News. “We often see quite changeable conditions.”

Victoria is forecast to have mostly sunny skies on Tuesday with a high of 14 C before temps increase throughout the week, jumping to 22 C by Saturday with full sun. Conditions are similar in Duncan, Nanaimo, Tofino, Courtenay, and Campbell River, while Port Hardy could see showers on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“It’s very much the first real stretch of warm weather. I think we can probably put it that way, yup,” said Proctor.

He explains that the nicer weather is due to an incoming upper ridge, which is often accompanied by warmer air. Troughs, meanwhile, are the opposite of ridges and are associated with colder air.

“We’ve just been going through a little bit of a trough that’s rotated through and brought some shower activity all over portions of the Inner South Coast and southern British Columbia,” said Proctor in the interview Tuesday.

“In behind it, an upper ridge is starting to build in and stabilize things, so we’re looking at generally mainly sunny or sunny conditions right through the weekend at this point in time, and temperatures warming up substantially.”

Temps to drop slightly on Sunday

It should cool down by Sunday. In Victoria, for example, temperatures will drop slightly to 20 C with a mix of sun and clouds before sitting around 19 C on Monday.

“It looks like it might cool back just a touch. Typically, this time of year, our daytime high should be about 16 C and overnight lows about 7 C in the area. Oftentimes, we pick up some gusty winds, especially through Juan de Fuca,” said Proctor.

“Next week, 18 C, 19 C, so just above seasonal, but not quite as warm as we’ll see at the end of this current work week and into the weekend.”

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(Screenshot of Victoria’s forecast May 7-13)

The meteorologist explains that other parts of B.C., including areas in and around the eastern Fraser Valley and B.C.’s Interior, “will see the warming conditions we’re seeing,” adding, “I would expect Port Alberni to pick up a little bit warmer as well. But generally, it’s going to be a nice stretch of weather at this point in time.”

Proctor says that sometimes when above-seasonal conditions are forecast, Environment Canada sends out alerts reminding people of the signs of heat exhaustion. This week’s weather, however, doesn’t warrant that.

“Temperatures in the low 20s, it’s going to be very nice conditions for the majority of the people out there,” he said.

Local forecasts can be found online here.

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