Extended summer conditions allowed for a little more scenic hiking than normal through October, with daytime highs consistently 5-10 degrees above normal. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

EXTENDED SUMMER

Temperature records tumble during Vancouver Island’s Hot-tober

Nov 2, 2022 | 5:31 AM

NANAIMO — It might have ended on a typically cool and dreary note, but temperatures throughout October 2022 still made the record books.

The mean temperature for the month, an average of all the daytime high’s and overnight lows, was 12.3 degrees at Nanaimo Airport, making this past October the second warmest on record.

Derek Lee, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, told NanaimoNewsNOW the numbers were boosted by a persistent high pressure ridge which largely shielded Vancouver Island from any storm systems.

“Although the high pressure system was in place, and that brought sunny skies and warm temperatures, it didn’t mean storms haven’t been coming into B.C., it was just being diverted up into the north west.”

Nanaimo missed beating a 1936 record by just 0.3 degrees.

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Temperatures peaked at 26.2 degrees twice through the month, on the 3rd and 7th, while the mercury dipped below zero just once, on Oct. 23 when the station recorded -0.3 degrees.

Above normal daytime highs weren’t just limited to Nanaimo.

Qualicum Beach Airport set new daytime temperature records 13 of the first 17 days of the month, however their data collection only dates back to 1962. Both Comox Valley and Campbell River also set records for the warmest October ever.

Rainfall through the first portion of the month was also scarce.

Just 42.2 millimetres of rain fell at the airport, roughly 40 per cent of normal and with most of it coming in the final week.

The totals made October 2022 the 19th driest October in the region dating back to 1892.

Lee said the region is now in a “full blown” fall weather pattern and regular storm systems which are typical for this time of year should be expected.

He added the first half of November will see a rapid cooling trend, with forecasters even calling for light snow flurries to begin as early as the weekend.

“The temperatures will likely cool and that cooling pattern will continue into much of next week. That’s why we can see the chance of flurries, especially in the overnight periods where temperatures drop to near freezing.”

Little to no accumulation, especially near sea level, is expected given the fact no significant storm systems are moving through to coincide with the rush of cooler air.

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alex@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley