It wasn't much, but Friday's precipitation finally broke a 52 day stretch without rain at Nanaimo Airport. (NanaimoNewsNOW photo)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

streak snapped

Nanaimo Airport records first rainfall in over 50 days

Aug 7, 2021 | 8:14 AM

NANAIMO — The streak is over.

After a bone dry stretch of 52 days without measurable precipitation at Nanaimo Airport’s monitoring station, showers moving across the region on Friday, Aug. 6 finally stopped the count.

About two millimetres of rain was collected overnight on Friday and into the morning of Saturday, Aug. 7. It snaps a streak dating back to June 15 when 4.4 millimetres fell at the airport.

Philippe-Alain Bergeron, a meteorologist with Environment Canada told NanaimoNewsNOW, the light rain overnight was a welcomed sight.

“We still have the possibility of more rain, however the radar shows it’s further south between Duncan and Victoria. [Saturday afternoon] it could be localized, we could see some more rain because there is a risk of a thunderstorm and some instability that could double up.”

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During the month of the July, zero rainfall was recorded in Nanaimo which marks the first time since 2013.

“It’s the dryest time for the year but normally you would expect to get a little bit of rain, it will still be a deficit in terms of the normal rain fall but at least there is finally a bit of moisture after such a dry period.

The previous record for the longest stretch of no rainfall for Nanaimo was broke in July of this year.

The cooler conditions and light showers were a welcomed sight to crews fighting a growing wildfire southwest of Chemainus.

The 32-hectare fire first sparked on Thursday, Aug. 5 and grew substantially in just 24 hours.

A sizeable band of precipitation moved through the region Friday, Aug. 6, dropping the first measuable precipitation at Nanaimo Airport in nearly two months. (Environment Canada)

The shower activity is forecast to be short-lived. Meteorologists are calling for sunshine to return on Sunday, Aug. 8 ahead of temperatures in the high 20s and low 30s for much of the week ahead.

“Unfortunately in the current context, I can forecast a lot of sunshine for this week and we have yet another strong ridge coming. Right now we anticipate high’s near 30 degrees by mid week and it could be even hotter towards Thursday and Friday.”

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