The reprieve from scorching temperatures will have been brief, with extreme heat returning to the Lower Mainland beginning Friday.
1130 NewsRadio Meteorologist Michael Kuss says this kind of weather pattern is usually what we experience in early or mid-summer, as opposed to later in August.
“Although we often see long, dry runs of weather this time of year. Temperatures don’t often soar and sustain themselves in the upper 20s or low 30s. We’re expecting to see this dry run last until the next week,” said Kuss.
He adds the peak of the heat will run from Friday to Sunday and potentially into Monday.
“It’ll be three or four days where we’re up around 30 degrees away from the shoreline across the Lower Mainland, at least not above 30 degrees and fairly close to record highs for inland parts of the area.”
The upside, for those who don’t like the heat, is that the nighttime lows will be reasonable.
“It’s not just the daytime highs that are going to be jumping up to 30 to 32 degrees, or in that range; we’ll have some humidity in there as well. Also, the overnight lows will start edging up to 15 or 16 degrees. The difference between this time of year and earlier in the year is that the overnights are a little bit longer, so we’ll get cooler evenings and then running through the overnight, those low temperatures will last a little bit longer,” adds Kuss.
BC Hydro says so far this summer, the utility hasn’t broken any records for usage, and it doesn’t expect to this weekend, despite people basking in the air conditioner.
“The last time we broke a usage record was in August of 2023,” BC Hydro’s Susie Rieder tells 1130 NewsRadio.
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She suspects records haven’t fallen because the region hasn’t seen intense, sustained heat, like the 2021 deadly heat dome.
“You’ll remember it was hot for a very significant amount of time. As well as in 2023, we just had longer periods of heat, and when the heat goes on for a long time, we see more air conditioning use and we see people staying indoors trying to escape the heat.”
Rieder acknowledges extreme heat is the new norm for B.C., and the utility service prepares itself for the season accordingly.
“Absolutely. We know that demand on the electricity system will be higher and, whenever we see extreme heat, like this weekend, we do take important steps to ensure the safety of our customers, including limiting the duration of planned outages where possible.”
She suggests finding ways to cut your hydro bill by closing the blinds or curtains, forgoing use of the dryer or stove and keeping the doors and windows closed if the outside temperature is hotter than inside.
“Also, using a fan nine hours a day over the summer in a month costs about $7, so it’s nice and cheap as well.”
BC Hydro is also offering discounts on portable conditions for vulnerable populations.
“We have $50 off at select retailers. We had a goal of 28,000 air conditioners to be provided… I believe we’re at about 24,000,” explains Rieder, who adds that BC Hydro has back-up availability for power if usage ever peaks.
Meanwhile, local water reservoir levels are in good shape, according to the Metro Vancouver Regional District.
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“[They’re] at typical seasonal levels right now, and we are proactively monitoring the weather conditions and managing the infrastructure that delivers our drinking water supply as needed,” it says in a statement to 1130 NewsRadio.
“Stage 1 water restrictions have been in effect since May 1 and will remain in place until October 15, and they limit lawn watering to one day per week. Outdoor water use is the biggest driver of consumption during the summer months, so abiding by restrictions and reducing outdoor use is a great way to conserve water for things like drinking, cooking, and cleaning.”
Like BC Hydro, the regional district says it’s also managing backup reserves like dams and reservoirs in case increased supply is needed.
Listen live to 1130 NewsRadio Vancouver every 10 minutes on the ones for weather updates. You can also follow @NewsRadioVAN and and Meteorologist Michael Kuss on X and subscribe to breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox.