Our “Wet Coast” nickname has been a complete misnomer these past two months, as weather records are being set for a lack of precipitation.
“We’re dry as a bone right now,” said Environment Canada meteorologist David Jones.
Abbotsford saw just 6.6 mm of rainfall in September. Combined with August’s 3.8 mm, the city got only 10.4 mm over the two months. That’s the driest it has been since weather records began for the city in 1945.
The last time there was so little precipitation was 1974, when Abbotsford got just 16.3 mm in August and September.
Normal rainfall for August is 48 mm, and for September is 54 mm.
How dry is it? Virtually the entire province, and the Lower Mainland in particular, have been positively parched – Vancouver and Agassiz have both set 123-year-old records.
A storm front was blowing in Monday evening, creating a forecast for rain and wind. But the long-range forecast is more arid conditions.
“The same ridge of high pressure is rebuilding,” said Jones, and he predicted the next seven to 10 days will again bring more warm, dry conditions.