Residents of the Lower Mainland may enjoy the hottest temperatures they have experienced yet starting next week...depending on those pesky clouds.
Environment Canada Meteorologist Derek Lee tells V.I.A. the department's weather models indicate a warmer-than-average trend should emerge following a series of moderate rainstorms over the weekend.
Showers or moderate organized rainstorms will produce precipitation in varied amounts starting Tuesday, March 18, and likely continuing on and off through Monday. Any intermittent dry spells won't last long, and temperatures aren't expected to soar during them.
However, a ridge of high pressure is expected to start building after the wet weather dissipates on Monday.
"After the rain on Monday we may get into a warm trend," he notes. "We could see temperatures ranging between 15 C and 20 C."
Places closer to the water will see temperatures on the lower end of the spectrum while inland areas could see temperatures even exceed 20 C.
Lee notes that last March also included some anomalous warmth, with temperatures breaking records in 40 areas across the province.
On March 17, 2024, a new record of 15.1 C was set in the Vancouver area; the previous record, 14.4 C, was set in 1900 - a whopping 124 years ago.
Places further inland in the Lower Mainland saw temperatures soaring into the 20s. Pitt Meadows set a new temperature record of 22.5 C, replacing the previous record of 17.8 set in 1995. Abbotsford set a new record of 21.5 C, replacing the previous record of 20.6 set in 1947.
Metro Vancouver weather forecast includes temperatures multiple degrees over the seasonal average
Lee says the warm and dry conditions should result in temperatures 5 C to 8 C above the seasonal average. However, the toastier trend "will be short-lived."
Models indicate a strong probability of warm temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday, although Thursday's forecast also shows a possibility of mild weather.
A caveat to the warm weather prediction is potential cloud coverage. Cloudy skies would prevent temperatures from rising significantly warmer.
Lee adds that April's forecast indicates some areas of the province may see warmer than average temperatures, including the B.C. Interior. However, the signal for the Lower Mainland is inconclusive.
Locals planning staycations in May have a better chance of warmer weather, with the models indicating above-average temperatures for Metro Vancouver.
Stay up-to-date with hyperlocal forecasts across 50 neighbourhoods in the Lower Mainland with V.I.A.'s Weatherhood.
