Monday saw no relief after a hot weekend, with temperatures climbing to all-time highs across the province and by early afternoon, records across Greater Victoria had already been broken.
By 1:45 p.m., the Malahat was the hottest spot near Greater Victoria, registering 38.4 C and beating the record of 32.4 C set in 1995, according to the Government of Canada.
In Greater Victoria, the Gonzales station recorded 36.9 C, beating the 30.5-degree record set in 1995. The University of Victoria was not far behind, registering 34.8 C, four degrees hotter than the 30.8 C record set in 1995. At 30.7 C, Esquimalt Harbour also broke its 27.1 C record set in 2015.
Building up over the weekend, temperatures reached the high 30s Sunday throughout the Island’s major population corridors, smashing records for June 27 by as much as six or seven degrees.
Port Alberni was the hotspot on the Island Sunday, reaching a high of 41 C, according to Environment Canada. Victoria, at 38 C, broke its previous record of 29 C, set in 2015.
The heat wave is in contrast to average highs for June 27 that range from 20.4 C in Victoria to 21.8 C in Nanaimo.
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Saturday was the cooler of three days of record-breaking heat, but despite that, eight weather stations across southern Vancouver Island broke temperature records.
The southern Gulf Islands was the hottest spot with Saturna Island recording a high of 36.7 C at Environment Canada’s CAPMoN weather station on the south coast. The Island’s general temperature also broke its own record at 29.6 C.
In Greater Victoria, the Malahat station was the next highest at 36.1 C, followed by the University of Victoria at 35.7 C.
Gonzales Point reached 32.5 C but had no relief for swimmers in Gonzales Bay as a no-swim warning remains due to high levels of bacteria in the water.
Esquimalt Bay recorded a relatively cool, but record-breaking nonetheless 27.3 C on Saturday. Off Metchosin, the Race Rocks Lighthouse Station hit 30.4 C and Sheringham Point near Shirley reached 30.7 C.
Temperatures are expected to start dropping on Tuesday with Environment Canada forecasting 29 C for Victoria, as the high-pressure ridge breaks up, releasing the pent up heat.
The heat wave forced businesses, including popular tourist destination Butchart Gardens, and construction sites across Greater Victoria to close as employers looked to protect their employees from the extreme temperatures.
Island Health rescheduled a number of vaccine appointments as temperatures soared and clinics without air conditioning deemed it unsafe to open.
All Monday appointments at Eagle Ridge Arena in Langford and Gabriola Community Hall on Gabriola Island, and all appointments after noon at Archie Browning Sports Centre were rebooked. Island Health said everyone affected would be contacted directly to schedule a new appointment time.
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