March heatwave sets 32 new temperature records across BC

It was just last week when much of the province endured a fresh snowfall in the middle of March.

However, weather trends appear to have suddenly shifted, with a mini-March heatwave now taking over the province.

A whopping 32 record high temperature marks were eclipsed on Monday, March 18, with thermometres soaring pass 20°C in many regions across the province.

Here’s a look at the towns and cities that saw historic high temperatures:

Abbotsford: 23°C (Previous record 19.2°C, set in 1996)
Cassiar: 10.3°C (Previous record 6°C, set in 1981)
Chetwynd: 15.5°C (Previous record 13.9°C, set in 2015)
Chilliwack: 22.8°C (Previous record 20°C, set in 1896)
Clinton: 12.4°C (Previous record 7.9°C, set in 2007)
Dease Lake: 12.6°C (Previous record 9.7°C, set in 1995)
Esquimalt: 18.3°C (Previous record 17.2°C set in 1914)
Fort Nelson: 16.6°C (Previous record 10.6°C, set in 1960)
Hope: 22.8°C (Previous record 20.6°C, set in 1947)
Hope Slide area: 15.2°C (Previous record 14°C, set in 1983)
Mackenzie: 12.1°C (Previous record 10.7°C , set in 2018)
Malahat: 18.5°C (Previous record 17°C, set in 1990)
Masset: 15°C, tied with record set in 1900
Muncho Lake area: 13.9°C (Previous record 10°C, set in 1995)
Nanaimo: 18.5°C (Previous record 16.1°C set in 1928)
Pemberton 17.6°C (Previous record 16.5°C, set in 1988)
Pitt Meadows: 21.1°C (Previous record 20.7°C, set in 1996)
Port Alberni: 21.4°C (Previous record 20°C, set in 1911)
Powell River: 16.5°C (Previous record 15.6°C, set in 1947)
Prince Rupert: 16.5°C (Previous record 15.3°C, set in 1981)
Sechelt: 18°C (Previous record 14°C, set in 1981)
Squamish: 23.5°C (Previous record 18°C, set in 1996)
Victoria Gonzales: 18.8°C (Previous record 17.2°C set in 1914)
Victoria Harbour: 17.1°C (Previous record 14.6°C set in 2016)
White Rock: 20.6°C (Previous record 19.9°C, set in 1996)
Williams Lake area: 14.9°C (Previous record 12.2°C set in 1997)
The hottest spot in Canada was in Squamish, B.C., where the mercury hit a very pleasant temp of 23.5°C.

There's potential for even more records to be set this week, with Environment Canada predicting several more days of warm temps.

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