Environment Canada meteorologist Armel Castellan said Monday that June was quite cold and humid in large parts of the province. This is going to change this weekend. Temperatures are expected to reach 22 degrees Celsius on the Vancouver Metro and 26 degrees indoors on Friday with temperatures at 20 degrees continuing through Saturday and Sunday, according to Environment Canada. Temperatures on Sunday could reach 30s in Kelowna and Kamloops and up to 25C in Prince George. What happens when you have a June that looks more like January? CBC meteorologist Johanna Wagstaffe explains the June phenomenon. The rise in temperatures will come shortly before the first anniversary of last summer’s heat. Between June 25 and July 1 last year, temperatures rose above 40 C in many parts of the province, leading to 619 heat-related deaths, according to a BC Coroners Service report released earlier this month. Castellan said the coming weather would not approach those historic highs. Temperatures will not be high enough to justify a heat warning, he says, but Environment Canada may issue a special weather statement as the hot weather comes after a long cool period. “Technically, our heat really comes from that first week of July onwards, so it’s a little early and it comes after a cooler signal,” he said. “It will be something that many people will feel has something to do with heat illness.” Castellan says the weather will affect river systems experiencing relatively high flows at the end of this cool season. Dave Campbell, head of the River Forecast Center, said last week that they believe the new runoff on rivers and lakes has reached its height, but the snow is expected to continue to melt for the next two weeks. Campbell said the delay in melting snow this year meant the biggest risk of flooding would continue until July. Meanwhile, the government of BC. announced on Monday its new strategy to prepare the province to deal with extreme weather events causing heat, fires and floods. Environment Minister George Hayman said the plan includes enhanced roles for the BC Fire Department in preparing and preventing fires. Heyman said the county is developing a provincial flood strategy, an extreme heat preparedness plan and working with First Nations to extend the practice of cultural and scheduled incineration. The government says it will invest more than half a billion dollars over the next three years to ensure the province is ready to adapt to the effects of climate change.
