Agassiz broke all-time temperature highs twice this past week as a heatwave that roasted the Pacific Northwest starts to decline.
Environment Canada reported Agassiz topping out at 40.4 C on Sunday, June 27, breaking not only a 2015 record by seven degrees but breaking all temperature records for the townsite stretching back more than 120 years. The next day, temperatures broke the all-time temperature record again, topping the charts at 41.1 C.
Records in the area have been kept since 1889.
By 11:40 a.m. on Monday, temperatures already cleared the record of 33.3 C set in 1895 – the same year the District of Kent was founded. Saturday, June 26, also saw a record broken with highs hitting 39.2 C, as did Tuesday when the heat broke 2008’s record of 34.1 C.
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The steamy summer weather also saw a record broken the day after the summer solstice, June 21, at 32.5 C.
Communities across the Fraser Valley set up cooling centres during the heat wave. The cooling centre in Agassiz was open for four days at the Agricultural Hall to offer those without cooling resources in Agassiz-Harrison a place to escape from the heat. According to District of Kent Mayor Sylvia Pranger’s report to council on Monday, June 28, the centre was not widely used; however, she told council, if it helped only one person, it was worth the effort.
Temperatures started to cool off after Tuesday, forecasted to lower throughout the remainder of the week and into next week.
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