With people soaking up the sun at Willows Beach on a gorgeous, summer-like day and with potentially record-breaking heat in the forecast, it’s hard to believe it’s almost October.
“It’s amazing!” a Victoria man added. “People in Victoria know what the fall can be with lots of rain!”
Just last week, the Island was drenched in record-breaking rainfall — smashing precipitation records in Victoria, Duncan, Nanaimo, Port Alberni and Campbell River.
After what had been an unseasonably dry month, this September is now the 10th wettest on record at the Victoria International Airport with almost 69.7 mm of precipitation — more than double normal, which is just 31.1 mm.
“What we’re talking about here are some extremes, not just daily, not just weekly, but also on a monthly scale as well as things that are going to keep happening as we see climate change affecting our precipitation patterns,” explains meteorologist Armel Castellan with Environment and Climate Change Canada.
And now, Islanders looking at a strong likelihood of record-breaking heat this week with temperatures forecast to be five to eight degrees above normal.
“We’re on track to being the warmest September on record at YYJ, at the airport, and in the top five or top 10 for the Gonzales station in Fairfield.”
But the high pressure keeping us sunny and warm could also spark the return of wildfire smoke.
The latest modelling shows smoke moving up from the raging California fires by Wednesday.
Tess van Straaten
