Record fall warmth sends the mercury climbing in B.C.

It is unusual to hit a temperature exceeding 20°C this late in the month at Vancouver International Airport. In fact, 21.7°C is the warmest the station has been this late in the year and the ninth-highest October temperature on record. It’s also the warmest October temperature for the station since Oct. 1, 2010: 21.8°C. The October 2022 heat event stands alone for its duration and maximum intensity as recorded across many stations in southern British Columbia. Abbotsford: 28.5°C (Oct. 15, 2022Campbell River: 26.5°C (Oct. 1, 2022)Victoria: 25.3°C (Oct. 2, 2022)Comox: 23°C (Oct. 1 and 7, 2022)The unprecedented start to Oct. 22 had Port Alberni average more than 27°C during the first nine days in October, along with many other stations in the mid-20s. Wildfire smoke and poor air quality drifted as far north as Haida Gwaii during the strong, southerly flow of record-breaking air.