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Last week, a powerful windstorm hit the South Coast of B.C. and left thousands of people without power in the Lower Mainland.
And while the winds won't be as powerful this evening, Environment Canada calls for some unseasonably cold temperatures overnight. In fact, the forecast calls for temperatures to dip down to a frigid -1°C in the evening on Monday, Oct. 28. In addition, the forecast calls for strong winds overnight and into Tuesday morning.
Back in August, Environment Canada's long-term Metro Vancouver weather forecast called for above average temperatures to continue into the fall season. However, the environmental department notes that there is less certainty now about the forecast heading into the coming winter season.
Vancouver Is Awesome spoke to Armel Castellan, Warning Preparedness Meteorologist, Environment Canada, about what he predicts the Lower Mainland has in store for the coming winter.
"We are always transparent in our forecasting," remarks Castellan. "In fact, we won't issue the official winter forecast until the final day of November."
Castellan notes that some companies offer forecasts with sweeping statements that aren't backed by accurate data. In contrast, Environment Canada issues a more reserved forecast, but one that is backed by historical data and accurate models.
"While September was warmer, the usual mean temperature for October in Vancouver is 10.3°C. So far, the mean temperature is 9.2°C, and the forecast calls for a number of number of cold days to finish off the month, too."
Castellan adds that the region saw some unseasonably frigid weather earlier this month, when Vancouver set a record for the coldest day in 122 years. As such, October could see a colder than average overall temperature for the month.
As for the winter forecast, Castellan notes that although he can't provide an accurate sense of the conditions beyond December, he can comment that the trend appears to be warmer than normal. With that in mind, he notes that, "this year in particular lacks a strong forecast signal."
So, while the forecast for December calls for above average weather, forecasting into late January and February is decidedly less confident at this time.
If you felt like fall came unseasonably early in the Lower Mainland, you aren’t alone.
Not only have there been many dreary, rainy days, but there have also been a number of downpours. Vancouverites witnessed an intense downpour around 4 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 9 that caused flash flooding in parts of the city. As a matter of fact, Vancouver received over twice the average rainfall for September.
