Fifteen areas in BC saw their hottest August 12 ever recorded yesterday

British Columbia’s “significant” heat wave is now record-breaking.

According to preliminary data from Environment Canada, 15 areas across BC saw their hottest August 12 ever recorded yesterday.

The sweltering temperatures were reached as an Extreme Heat alert was issued for parts of the Lower Mainland, and heat warnings abounded throughout the province.

While some areas, like Whistler and Port Alberni, broke their temperature records by less than 2°C, others, including White Rock, eclipsed historical highs by 7°C.

• See also:
  • Wildfire smoke over Vancouver prompts air quality advisory
  • BC health officials report over 700 COVID-19 cases entering weekend
  • Heat warning escalated to Extreme Heat Alert in Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley

With the exception of Sechelt—which broke a 2015 record—all 15 areas beat records set more than 25 years ago. Comox and Victoria surpassed records set in 1920.

The full list of temperature records broken in BC yesterday is:

• Abbotsford area: new record of 39.4°C — old record of 34.1°C set in 1990
• Agassiz area: new record of 38.2°C — old record of 34.0°C set in 1990
• Bella Coola area: new record of 36.4°C — old record of 33.3°C set in 1990
• Comox area: new record of 34.3°C — old record of 32.2°C set in 1920
• Hope Area: new record of 37.9°C — old record of 35.6°C set in 1992
• Malahat area: new record of 37.0°C — old record of 34.0°C set in 1990
• Pitt Meadows area: new record of 36.6°C — old record of 35.5°C set in 1990
• Port Alberni area: new record of 39.8°C — 0ld record of 38.0°C set in 1981
• Powell River area: new record of 34.0°C — 0ld record of 31.6°C set in 1990
• Sechelt area: new record of 34.4°C — old record of 33.4°C set in 2015
• Squamish area: new record of 40.2°C — old record of 33.5°C set in 1992
• Tatlayoko Lake area: new record of 33.0°C — old record of 32.2°C set in 1952
• Victoria area: new record of 35.5°C — old record of 30.6°C set in 1920
• Whistler area: new record of 36.1°C — old record of 35.0°C set in 1992
• White Rock area: new record of 37.0°C — old record of 30.0°C set in 1992

With the heat wave expected to persist through Sunday morning, there’s the potential for even more weather records to be broken this weekend.