Monday in Vancouver it was 26 degrees above normal for the high temperature. How significant is that? Well, it is still August and when you look at the average high for the date of 82 degrees that brings us to a whopping 108 degrees. Yes, that was a record for Aug. 14, surpassing the record of 102 degrees set in 2008.
Besides a new daily record, it was also the highest temperature recorded in the month of August here in Vancouver. Previously the record was 105 degrees in 2017.
Temperatures rose higher than most forecast guidance indicated; it was only a small percentile that indicated we could exceed the predicted high of 105 degrees. Those same models also say the heat will be slow to leave us later in the week. Most models indicate we will be down to near seasonal averages by Friday. We’ll see about that.
To put things in perspective now that we are on our way with a month with well-above-average temperatures, if you were around back then, do you remember 1976? Boy I do. I was an avid gardener, and it was the closest to a green tomato summer that I can remember. While we were 108 degrees Monday, on that same date in 1976, it was overcast and raining, and we only had a high temperature of 57 degrees. Yep, 51 degrees cooler and it was our lowest high temperature for Aug. 14.
Hot again today and Wednesday with 100-degree highs likely before we return to some sort of normalcy.
