"Temperatures significantly below normal": Could Vancouver break cold weather records this week?
Dig up your woolly hats and mittens because Vancouver is set to see some seriously cold weather this weekend.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) forecasts cold temperatures up to -12ÂșC starting Thursday evening. It doesn’t get much warmer during the weekend, with temperatures reaching -8ÂșC during the day and -11ÂșC in the evenings.
Environment and Climate Change Canada
According to Alyssa Charbonneau, a meteorologist with ECCC, the cold weather can be attributed to air from the Arctic.
“Arctic air is forecast to reach the south coast of BC today, and it’s going to result in a period of very cold weather with temperatures well below seasonal normals,” Charbonneau said.
With the Arctic winds, ECCC has issued an extreme cold and Arctic outflow warning for Metro Vancouver that says the wind chill could make it feel as if it’s -20ÂșC.
This isn’t the first time Vancouver has seen weather this cold, but could this weekend’s freezing temperatures break old records?
The short answer is no. Charbonneau said, “We’re not close to the all-time low-temperature records.”
According to ECCC, the coldest temperature ever recorded in Vancouver was -17.8ÂșC at the Vancouver International Airport in 1968. Wow, that’s chilly.
That’s not the only cold temperature the city has seen. According to ECCC, the top 10 coldest temperatures ever recorded in Vancouver have been between -16.7ÂșC and -17.8°C.
With a weather history like that, this weekend seems mild in comparison.
Snow in the Fraser Heights neighbourhood of Surrey. (EB Adventure Photography/Shutterstock)
However, it is still seriously cold, and we should make sure we’re prepared for it. With the extreme cold, ECCC is warning that there’s a significant risk of frostbite and hypothermia.
“Frostbite and hypothermia can occur within minutes if we aren’t properly dressed when we’re outdoors,” said Charbonneau.
“Make sure you’re wearing appropriate clothing if you’re outdoors, covering up any exposed skin as much as possible. Staying dry and trying to find places indoors to warm up,” Charbonneau said. “It’s a good idea to check in on our neighbours [and] those in our community who are more impacted.”
While this weekend’s winter weather doesn’t come close to Vancouver’s cold temperature records, let’s make sure we don’t start 2024 with a case of hypothermia. Wrap up warm and stay safe if you’re headed outside this weekend.