Average temperatures but less than average precipitation for spring on the mid-Island, as beachgoers take advantage of the sun at Departure Bay Beach on the first day of summer. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Jordan Davidson

average spring

Average temperature but drier than usual weather caps off spring for the mid-Island

Jun 21, 2023 | 3:51 PM

NANAIMO — Despite some hot days which broke daily temperature records and recorded Nanaimo’s hottest May ever, spring for the mid-Island saw average temperatures overall.

Meteorologist with Environment Canada Ken Dosanjh said regions around the mid-Island had an average spring temperature-wise.

“It wasn’t colder or warmer than normal. We did have some hot stretches, but they were also balanced out by some cooler stretches. During that time we definitely had a normal mean temperature relative to our 30-year history.”

He said the amount of precipitation is where things differ, with Nanaimo seeing only 72.5 per cent of its normal total precipitation for the three months of spring.

While June 21 marks the astronomical first day of summer, meteorologists use March, April, and May as their “official” spring months, with June already part of their meteorological summer.

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“We started our spring melt and spring season off to a lower than average precipitation than we normally expected, where we start to speak about the potential of more drought concerns,” said Dosanjh.

Drought conditions were a central theme for winter and spring, as rainfall deficits across the mid-Island continued to build.

The drying trend continued into the first half of June with warmer-than-average temperatures and dry conditions persisting.

“Nanaimo’s mean temperature was sitting at around 17.2 degrees, and the normals for this time is around 15.6, so we’re definitely warmer than normal, but once again we’re also drier than normal.”

Dosanjh said that’s how June should end as well, with a high-pressure ridge moving from the north to south coasts of the island into this weekend, bringing with it mostly clear skies and warm temperatures.

“But kind of looking at our seasonal forecast, July/August/September, we are, once again seeing, surprise surprise, potentially above normal temperatures for the mid-Island itself. There are good signals that July/August/September on the Island can experience an above-normal summer in regards to temperature.”

While wildfire concerns remain, Vancouver Island has been mostly spared compared to the northeastern corner north of Fort. St. John where the Donnie Creek wildfire has a perimeter of more than 900 kilometres, making it the largest fire in B.C.’s history.

The Cameron Bluffs wildfire east of Port Alberni, which begin on June 3, has since been declared under control with a phased re-opening of Hwy. 4 expected this weekend after trees and falling debris forced the closure of the only paved route linking Port Alberni and points west to the east side of Vancouver Island.

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jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow