Temperature records were broken in Abbotsford on Saturday, as the heat wave that spread across the province hit the Fraser Valley.
Temperatures reached 32.2 C on Saturday, breaking the previous record of 31.4, which was set in 1982.
Sunday saw the mercury rise to 30.7 C, falling just short of the record 32 C temperature set back in 2006.
Environment Canada meteorologist Matt MacDonald explained that a dry hot air mass was lingering over most of the province on the weekend.
“A ridge of high pressure was anchored over the province for the weekend,” he said. “It limited the flow of cool air off the Pacific Ocean, which kind of acts as our air conditioning, if you will.”
He pointed out that Sunday saw a high relative humidity of 80 per cent, which made for a muggy day in Abbotsford. A normal relative humidity rate ranges from 50 to 60 per cent.
MacDonald said today (Monday) and the rest of the week will see the ridge shift inland and Abbotsford will see more of a push of cool air from the Pacific onshore flow.
The rest of the week will see temperatures remain steady, hovering in the 24 to 26 C range. Clouds are expected for Friday, but the sun returns on Canada Day (July 1) with an expected high of 26.
“We’re in for a great stretch of summer weather finally,” MacDonald said.
He added that Canada Day will be warm at 26, and we may see light showers on July 2 or 3, but the temperatures will remain high.