“There’s hope in sight.”
That was the message of Matt MacDonald, a meteorologist for Environment and Climate Change Canada, when asked about the prospect of some sunnier summer weather on Haida Gwaii.
Speaking to the Observer by phone, MacDonald said a ridge of high pressure sitting off the coast of California is expected to extend into B.C. very soon.
“Come Thursday (July 16) we’ll be into a cloudy but dry pattern and then there’s a really great-looking forecast beginning Saturday,” he said. “We’re finally going to get a nice, long stretch here of nice, warm weather.”
He said the clear skies may even continue until about July 25, making it the first long stretch of dry sun expected since May.
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July has otherwise been off to a wet start, MacDonald confirmed, and “June was anything but dry and mild.”
“Mother Nature apparently did not get the memo that summer was starting on June 20,” he said.
The Sandspit weather station recorded 63 millimetres of rain in June, about 22 per cent more rain than what is normal for the month (52 millimetres).
“There have been far worse Junes,” MacDonald said, but the wet weather was still a stark comparison to the month of May, which was “glorious” on the islands this year.
Between May 7 and 15, he said not a single drop of rain was recorded. Only 38 millimetres of rain was recorded in May overall — the normal amount for the month is 66 millimetres — and there were also high temperatures, with two records broken on Mother’s Day weekend.
“I think a lot of people were lured into believing that summer had arrived in May,” he said. “That was an exceptional month.”
ALSO READ: ‘A true treat for moms’: Haida Gwaii breaks two temperature records on Mother’s Day weekend
MacDonald added that the low fire danger rating across the province may be a silver lining to the clouds.
“I think that’s maybe a blessing in disguise considering COVID-19,” he said. “It hasn’t been the best barbecue weather, but it’s keeping the fire danger down.”
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