Temperature, snowfall records crack as cold blasts province

Environment Canada says B.C. broke 39 cold-weather records Wednesday, as an Arctic front swept across the province.

Matt MacDonald, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, says there were 14 daytime records broken, 18 overnight lows smashed and seven new records for the most snowfall on Oct. 3, including a whopping 59 centimetres of snow in Sparwood, east of Fernie.

He says the front whipped down from the north and clashed with moisture from the Pacific Ocean. MacDonald said more records may be broken overnight, but it’s not likely to be as cold as Wednesday.

“We are waking up to some frosty mornings,” he said, adding that in Metro Vancouver although the overnight low was around 2 C, frost still accumulated on the ground.

The record-breaking temperature for cold in B.C. on Wednesday was Clinton, where -14.2 C was recorded, smashing the old mark of -5 set in 2012.

In Prince George, the mercury dipped to a record -12.1 C, breaking the old one of -9.4 set in 1950.

Even Vancouver saw a record low, though the mercury didn’t go below zero. Environment Canada recorded 1.6 C at YVR on Wednesday, breaking the previous record of 2.8 in 1937.

Other areas that set cold-temperature records were Quesnel (-8.4 C,) Lytton (-1.2,) and Lillooet (-2.9.)

MacDonald said most regions should return to near-seasonal temperatures over the next week, but the overnight lows will remain slightly cooler than normal.