By Dominic Abassi

Balmy week sees multiple 100-year-old temperature records fall in Nanaimo

Mar 22, 2019 | 6:02 PM

NANAIMO — It was hard to go more than a few minutes without hearing someone talk about the warm weather this past week, and for good reason.

Environment Canada data showed Nanaimo broke daily temperature records for highs on March 18, 19 and 20.

“We haven’t seen a pattern this intense in terms of warmth for this time of year going back to the March of 1994 and we’ve even been breaking records from that year,” meteorologist Matt MacDonald told NanaimoNewsNOW.

He said daily highs were: 18.5 C on Monday, 20 C on Tuesday and 21 C on Wednesday.

MacDonald noted March 17 and March 21 missed setting daily records by less than one degree and highs were around 11-degrees warmer than normal averages for this time of year.

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“Nanaimo’s historical records go all the way back to 1892, so when we’re breaking records for hottest days in over 130 years, those are pretty significant.”

An intense ridge of high pressure caused the weather anomaly, MacDonald said.

Side effects from the unseasonable warmth included a special avalanche warning, as the temperatures caused unstable conditions in the healthy winter snowpack.

“Another interesting fact was a dramatic increase in pollen in the air from this rapid warming. A lot of people would be suffering with allergies more last week than normal for this time of year.”

Unfortunately, MacDonald said more typical spring weather is on the way for the end of March and beginning of April, with highs in the low teens and a fair number of showers.

dom@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @domabassi