If you felt particularly warm and damp this past weekend it’s because the North Shore was experiencing some record-setting warmth and more than its share of dampness.
On Monday, West Vancouver hit 16.6 C, the highest temperature ever recorded for Jan. 26, according to Environment Canada Meteorologist Jennifer Hay.
The previous high for that date is 13.4 C. Sunday, too, broke previous standing records by hitting 14.2 C, beating the old Jan. 26 record of 11.8 C.
The warm temperatures were preceded by some heavier than usual precipitation.
Friday saw 77 millimetres of rain measured from Environment Canada’s West Vancouver station over a 24-hour period.
B.C.’s south coast was treated to what meteorologists call a Pineapple Express. Though the name might sound like it, it’s not a Hawaiian drink with plenty of rum.
“That means we have a very strong flow right from south to north. The air and moisture that’s coming up is originating near the Hawaiian Islands,” Hay said.
Other than some pooling water, the North Shore largely escaped damage from the storm though the Mountain Highway underpass flooded temporarily on Friday afternoon, cutting off access to the industrial area below Main Street.
When that happens, the District of North Vancouver contacts CN Rail to activate a pumping system to clear out the low-lying street.
Environment Canada is calling for continued above-seasonal temperatures for the rest of the week and an end to the rain until Super Bowl Sunday.
