Records were broken and tied for Hope and 19 other cities across B.C. last Friday (Jan. 12) as chilly arctic winds left people scrambling to be indoors.
According to Environment Canada (ECCC) Hope’s temperature dropped to -18.6 degrees Celsius last Friday — breaking it’s previous record, for Jan. 12, of -16.7 degrees Celsius set in 1971.
Temperatures for Jan. 12 were broken for 16 cities, and tied for four, last week as an arctic outflow (which ended on Jan. 15) pushed through the province. This included Lytton which set a new record of -22.6 degrees Celsius. Previously, the town’s lowest recorded temperature for Jan. 12 was set in 1971 at -21.7 degrees Celsius.
Abbotsford also broke its 2007 record of -12.8 degrees Celsius with a temperature of -15.4 degrees Celsius.
The other cities that broke their records were: Bella Bella, Clinton, Creston, E Malahat, Nakusp, Nanaimo, Princeton, Puntzi Mountain, Sechelt, Squamish, Tatlayoko Lake, Victoria, West Vancouver, White Rock.
Meanwhile, the cities that tied with their records were: Watson Lake, Trail, Qualicum Beach, and Estevan Point.
Though the arctic outflow warning ended on Monday (Jan. 15), Environment Canada issued a winter storm warning on Tuesday morning (Jan. 16) from the Central Fraser Valley area to the Eastern Fraser Valley area (which includes Hope and Chilliwack).
“A Pacific low pressure system is expected to bring a snow storm to the south coast from tonight to Wednesday,” ECCC said. “Poor visibility due to blowing snow is also a travel hazard in addition to heavy snowfall.
“Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may also become difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow.”
READ MORE: ‘Hazardous’ conditions when snowstorm hits Fraser Valley, Lower Mainland
@KemoneMoodley
kemone.moodley@hopestandard.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.