There's a nasty summer storm in the forecast for Vancouver including a risk of a thunderstorm and showers overnight and rain in parts of the city for the next two days.
With the second night of the Honda Celebration of Light fireworks on the horizon, Vancouverites might little bit nervous that the event will get rained out.
The event's website says the shows will go on rain or shine and Executive Producer Paul Runnals confirms that they don't have an official rainfall threshold that would cancel the event.
In fact, in the entire 33-year history of the fireworks (Honda took over in 2010) it hasn't ever been cancelled due to weather (just twice due to COVID).
It would take “catastrophic monsoon conditions,” and there would need to be a threat to people's safety, Runnals tells V.I.A. over the phone.
Rain and wind conditions like we see in late November in Vancouver would be a cause for concern but summer storms don't have the same impact as winter ones, he explains.
Fireworks are the result of two separate explosions. The first is a shell that is launched into the air by an explosion that occurs inside a cylinder and lights the fuse for the second explosion that occurs once the shell is in the air.
Because the initial ignition occurs inside the cover of the cylinder, rain isn't an issue.
"It’s not the rain, it’s the wind that would be the concern," says Runnals.
The fireworks barges are located far away from the shoreline to ensure the safety of everyone on land, if there was a strong on-shore wind that could potentially blow the barge or fireworks off course, that would be a consideration for cancellation, he says.
Runnals has never seen wind or wave behaviour in English Bay in July that would warrant that, however.
The barges are anchored and, in Runnals' experience, even on the windiest days of putting on the event, he says, that when the sun starts to go down the winds die out almost completely--"It's a meteorological phenomenon."
Canadian cities with different climates such as Ontario could necessitate cancelling the fireworks due to extreme winds in July but in Vancouver, "not a chance," he says.
Celebration of Light set to resume Wednesday and Saturday
Australia was up first, on July 22, and will be followed by Mexico on July 26, and the Philippines will wrap it up on July 29. The fireworks begin at 10 p.m., however there is free entertainment scheduled at English Bay ahead of the displays. Currently, the Downtown Vancouver V.I.A. weather station calls for partly cloudy skies and a high of 23 C on Wednesday and a high of 27 C on Sunday, with little to no chance of rain.
