Dry June nears records in parts of B.C. with little relief ahead
The last weekend of an already dry June will feature little rain in the forecast for B.C.
British Columbia has managed to stay out of the meteorological limelight throughout most of June, with active weather focusing on the Prairies and Eastern Canada instead. This trend, however, also means that parts of B.C. have had a very dry month—a major concern heading into the dry months amid a volatile wildfire season.
The Sunshine Coast in particular has had so little rain; we're even looking at the driest June on record for some locales, such as Comox. As of June 27, Comox has received only 0.8 mm of rainfall for the entire month, well below the current driest record set at 3.1 mm in 1965. Typically, Comox receives an average of 42.8 mm of rainfall in June.
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Similarly, Campbell River is on track for this June to be in the top five driest Junes on record, having received just 4.2 mm, less than seven per cent of the monthly average rainfall.
Abbotsford and Vancouver haven't fared much better, either.
In Abbotsford, only 16.5 mm of rain has fallen in the past month—23 per cent of the monthly average.
Vancouver has recorded only 50 per cent of its monthly average, with just 27.7 mm of rain falling over the city.
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Not everyone has been lacking in rain, though. Just a little further east, in the Thompson-Okanagan region, communities such as Kamloops and Kelowna have almost received all of their monthly average rainfall.
Not much rain ahead
The last weekend of June does not favour much more rain for B.C.
Comox and Campbell River could see an additional few millimetres of rainfall over the weekend, but to the west in the Fraser Valley, chances are much lower.
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Dry conditions are expected to prevail over the Sunshine Coast to close out the month, with the heat, humidity, and persistent sunshine returning on Monday.
On average, July and August are the driest months of the year for B.C.
A dry June could spell danger for the province, which already struggles with prevailing drought conditions in the summer months.
Currently, there are 72 active wildfires in the province, mostly in the northeast. Southern B.C. is also at a low fire danger rating, but prolonged dry conditions could shift the danger rating in the weeks to come.
Stay with The Weather Network for more information and updates on your weather across B.C.