Dry conditions and hot temperatures are expected to persist for at least seven days in the Lower Mainland, providing the longest stretch of uninterrupted heat this year.
Environment Canada meteorologist Matt Loney tells V.I.A. that the summer has been marked by a pattern of a few days of heat interrupted by one or more cooler, sometimes wetter ones. Even the recent heat warning on B.C.'s south coast only lasted a day or two, preceded by a few days of warm, dry conditions.
Loney notes that the weather system that is currently settling into Metro Vancouver looks notably stronger.
"A nice ridge of high pressure is building over all of B.C., and that will be the case over the seven-day period," he explains.
"No frontal systems can penetrate it. Temperatures will be on the rise, and the humidity will be a factor in how things feel."
Inland temperatures may soar over 30 C this weekend, although they may feel even hotter with humidity. For example, Saturday's forecast includes an inland high of 31 C that is expected to feel more like 34 C with the humidity.
"The airmass in place is more humid than typical. There's not a lot of offshore flow, so we have a stagnant air mass," he adds.
While temperatures on the coast look like they won't rise above the mid-20s this weekend, they could reach over 26 C by mid-next week.
Metro Vancouver weather forecast: Will a heat alert be issued in the next seven days?
Loney notes that this is the first reliable week-long stretch of warm, dry temperatures this summer. As a result, a heat warning is possible.
"We are monitoring things and operations here. The north coast will likely see a heat warning, and the south coast has potential," he comments.
The nights are longer than they were in June and July, providing a greater opportunity for temperatures to cool overnight. Still, a "heat warning is possible" with the sustained heat, Loney adds.
The hot weather is expected to persist until at least Thursday or next Friday, but the signal isn't clear after then.
Even if a heat alert isn't issued, Loney advises practicing heat-smart behaviours. Locals should slow down, drink water, and stay cool. If possible, stay in an air-conditioned space or in the shade as much as possible
People in the region should check on family, friends and neighbours and ensure they have a cool space. Early signs of heat illness include feeling unwell, fatigue, thirst, headache, and unusually dark urine; these symptoms can rapidly evolve into life-threatening emergencies.
Stay up-to-date with hyperlocal forecasts across 50 neighbourhoods in the Lower Mainland with V.I.A.'s Weatherhood.
