It was a little cooler and a little wetter for Nanaimo through April, however the month ended with an unexpected heat wave which saw several central Island temperature records broken. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

mixed bag

Record hot temperatures cap cooler, wetter April in Nanaimo & Oceanside

May 1, 2023 | 4:06 PM

NANAIMO — Despite some record-breaking temperatures at the 11th hour, the month of April was largely unremarkable meteorologically.

A slightly cooler, by one or two degrees, and wetter month graced the central Island with Nanaimo receiving around 130 per cent of their average April precipitation as 87.6 millimetres fell at the airport.

Environment Canada’s Derek Lee said Nanaimo narrowly missed breaking a 1931 temperature record on Friday, April 28, while Qualicum Beach comfortably set two new marks on Friday and Saturday.

“We didn’t get our usual stormier weather from the Pacific, we got more of a ridge of high pressure. Ridges of high pressure are more common in summertime, that’s what brings us our sunny skies in B.C. However, it is possible to see them once in a while in springtime.”

The mercury reached 21.2 degrees on Friday at the Qualicum Beach Airport, beating a 2005 mark of 19.5.

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Saturday saw a 2003 record of 21.5 degrees beaten when the daytime high registered 23.8 degrees.

Overall, the minor spring heat wave which ended April and will start May sees temperatures around six to eight degrees above normal.

Lee added May is shaping up to be unsettled to start.

‘We are looking to see an above-normal trend on the Island again, but that’s not to say every day will be warm. The first two or three days of this week will be warm…after these few days we’re looking for the pattern to shift to a cooler and wetter one on the weekend.”

The weather was much more notable on the north Island with both the Comox Valley and Courtenay regions seeing their top five wettest April’s on record.

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