Record highs on Tuesday, Wednesday as smog warning issued for the region
Recent arrivals in Victoria from Alberta, 11-year-old Hannah and her sister Ceili play in the waters of Beaver Lake in Saanich.
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Updated: July 29, 2009 8:42 PM
The mercury rose, air conditioners were running high and temperature records were shattered this week as July finished out much hotter than average. There was even a rare warning about smog issued Wednesday as temperatures hit 33 C, breaking the previous record of 31.3 C set in 1971.
Temperatures on Tuesday reached 32.9 C, surpassing the record high of 29.4 C from 1958.
“That was one of the few 20s left near the end of the month. Most of our highs are 33, 31, 32, so this was just pumping that one into the same league,” said Anne McCarthy of Environment Canada.
The average temperature for this time of the year is around 23 C, McCarthy said.
Environment Canada is reporting temperatures in the high-20s for the long weekend, with the sunny weather expected to stretch through to at least the middle of next week.
“For the long weekend, we’re looking at a change in the pattern, to edge off of this (heat wave),” she said, forecasting a drop in temperature to the mid to high 20s.
“We’re going to come down from a full rolling boil, to a simmer. It will still be warm conditions, but more tolerable weather.”
The Ministry of Environment on Wednesday issued an air quality advisory for the capital region because of high smog concentrations.
The Air Quality Health Index was at a moderate level (four on a 10-point scale) by mid-afternoon, but that was expected to rise.
Staying hydrated and cool is important, and McCarthy advises taking advantage of the CRD’s “natural air conditioning”.
“Down by the water is a great place to cool off where we have the influence of the ocean,” she said. “We’re very fortunate in Victoria that you can just move around and change your temperature.”
kslavin@saanichnews.com
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