Vancouver's abnormally warm October will continue this week with temperatures forecast to be up to five degrees warmer than average.
At the same time, areas famous for rain are hitting the highest level of drought on B.C.'s scale, including Metro Vancouver.
Weather this week
Starting the week, a special weather statement has been issued for Monday, Oct. 10, as the first fall wind event is expected to hit Vancouver around noon. Due to the ongoing drought conditions, Environment Canada is warning trees may be weak and damaged by gusts, which will peak around 60 km/h.
Despite the high winds, temperatures are expected to be around 18 C, though the windchill factor may make things feel cooler. At the same time, Vancouver may finally see some precipitation, as there's a 30 per cent chance of showers Monday afternoon, though in the alert Environment Canada notes there's a chance there won't be any showers.
After the windy weather, things are expected to clear up. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are all expected to be sunny days with little to no cloud in the sky. Temperatures this week will likely peak Thursday, with a high of 19 C, a full five degrees warmer than the average expected in mid-October.
Normally, highs sit around 14 C this time of year, as temperatures decrease heading towards winter, but October so far has stayed stable at above 19 C, just below daily records. The coolest day so far has been Oct. 5, at 18.1 C (the only day below 19 C), while the warmest was Oct. 3 at 21 C. Sunday, Oct. 9, cracked 19 C.
Friday a mix of sun and cloud is expected, and a high of 18 C.
Overnight, lows this week are expected to hold steady within a degree of 10 C.
Next weekend the weather appears to be comparable to Friday, with Environment Canada forecasting a high of 18 C on Saturday, along with a mix of sun and cloud.
Drought weather
The weather in October, and late September, has been sunnier and warmer than most Octobers; this has also meant a lack of rain. This has led the province to declare the Lower Mainland is at Drought Level 5, the highest level at which adverse impacts are almost certain, including weakening trees.
Two other areas are also at Drought Level 5: West Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast. Nearby regions, including East Vancouver Island and the Eastern Pacific Range (the mountains west of Vancouver) are at Drought Level 4. Only a handful of regions in the province are at the lowest level.
The last day Vancouver had any measurable rain, according to Environment Canada, was Sept. 28, when 0.2 mm was measured. Overall September saw just 7 mm of rain over the month. On average September is one of the drier months, but Vancouver usually sees around 51 mm of rain.
Normally October is significantly wetter than September, with over 120 mm of rain on average. As of Oct. 9, there's been none this month. Last year, by the end of Oct. 9, there had been 11.6 mm.
