Communities in BC’s Interior region experienced record-breaking low temperatures over the weekend.
According to data from Environment Canada, the City of Trail was one of two communities in BC that hit a record daily minimum temperature on Sunday when it reached 4 C, breaking its previous record of 4.4 C set the same day in 1945.
The Sparwood area reached 9 C on Sunday, breaking its 2010 record low maximum temperature of 10 C and the Nakusp area tied its 1978 record of 14.5 C.
Environment Canada Meteorologist Brian Proctor said the record low temperatures were the result of a very cool airmass that established itself across much of the Kootenay region over the weekend, which also saw some snowfall Monday morning on the Kootenay Pass.
The snowfall at higher elevations is positive for the region’s long-term drought concerns, but Proctor said it’s not enough to make a major impact.
“Every bit of moisture we get is definitely helping to alleviate or address some of the long -term drought concerns that we’ve had in the province over the last three years, but it’s not enough to really make any major changes to the current situation. So, it’s a positive, but it’s not really a long -term solution.”
The region is expected to get warmer weather by the end of the week as a upper ridge of warm air builds over the province. However Proctor said it will trend back to be slightly cooler for the last week of June.
“We’re looking at an increase in temperatures through the work week this week, probably peaking on Friday, Saturday, and then cooling off again behind that,” he said.
“If you look at our seasonal forecast, as we start moving into July, it’s looking very normal with very typical conditions. So warmer, probably just above normal, seasonal temperature -wise, and precipitation looks somewhat spotty moving forward, as it often does as we move into July.”
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