British Columbia Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ===Climate=== [[File:British Columbia Köppen.svg|thumb|[[Köppen climate classification|Köppen climate types]] in British Columbia]] [[File:Strait of Georgia.jpg|thumb|The [[Strait of Georgia]], near [[Vancouver]]]] Because of the many mountain ranges and rugged coastline, British Columbia's climate varies dramatically across the province. Coastal southern British Columbia has a mild and rainy climate influenced by the [[North Pacific Current]]. Most of the region is classified as [[Oceanic climate|oceanic]], though pockets of [[Warm-summer Mediterranean|warm-summer Mediterranean climate]] also exist in the far-southern parts of the coast. Precipitation averages above {{cvt|1000|mm|in}} in almost all of the coastal region, and [[Hucuktlis Lake]] on [[Vancouver Island]] receives an average of {{cvt|6,903|mm|in}} of rain annually. Due to the blocking presence of successive mountain ranges, the climate of some of the interior valleys of the province (such as the Thompson, parts of the Fraser Canyon, the southern Cariboo and parts of the Okanagan) is [[semi-arid climate|semi-arid]] with certain locations receiving less than {{convert|250|mm|0}} in annual precipitation. The annual mean temperature in the most populated areas of the province is up to {{convert|12|C}}, the mildest anywhere in Canada. The valleys of the Southern Interior have short winters with only brief bouts of cold or infrequent heavy snow, while those in the [[Cariboo]], in the [[British Columbia Interior#Central Interior|Central Interior]], are colder because of increased altitude and latitude, but without the intensity or duration experienced at similar latitudes elsewhere in Canada. Outside of the driest valleys, the Southern and Central Interior generally have a [[humid continental climate]] with widely variable precipitation. For example, the average daily low in [[Prince George, British Columbia|Prince George]] (roughly in the middle of the province) in January is {{convert|-12|C}}.<ref>{{cite web |date=October 31, 2011 |title=Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010 Station Data |url=http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?stnID=631&lang=e&StationName=Prince+George&SearchType=Contains&stnNameSubmit=go&dCode=1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208115244/http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?stnID=631&lang=e&StationName=Prince+George&SearchType=Contains&stnNameSubmit=go&dCode=1 |archive-date=December 8, 2015 |access-date=October 19, 2015 |publisher=[[Environment and Climate Change Canada]]}}</ref> Small towns in the southern interior with high elevation such as [[Princeton, British Columbia|Princeton]] are typically colder and snowier than cities in the valleys.<ref name="Princeton">{{cite web |url=http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?searchType=stnName&txtStationName=princeton&searchMethod=contains&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=1056&dispBack=1 |title=Princeton A |date=September 25, 2013 |website=Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010 |publisher=[[Environment Canada]] |access-date=January 15, 2018 |archive-date=January 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190116200713/http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?searchType=stnName&txtStationName=princeton&searchMethod=contains&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=1056&dispBack=1 |url-status=live }}</ref> Heavy snowfall occurs in all elevated mountainous terrain providing bases for skiers in both south and central British Columbia. Annual snowfall on highway mountain passes in the southern interior rivals some of the snowiest cities in Canada,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?searchType=stnName&txtStationName=pass&searchMethod=contains&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=1363&dispBack=1 |title=GLACIER NP ROGERS PASS |date=September 25, 2013 |website=Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010 Station Data |publisher=Environment Canada |access-date=January 16, 2019 |archive-date=January 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190116150115/http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?searchType=stnName&txtStationName=pass&searchMethod=contains&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=1363&dispBack=1 |url-status=live }}</ref> and freezing rain and fog are sometimes present on such roads as well.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McElroy |first=Justin |date=February 9, 2017 |title=Weather closes every highway linking Lower Mainland to rest of B.C. |work=[[CBC News]] |agency=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/weather-closes-every-highway-linking-lower-mainland-to-rest-of-b-c-1.3975497 |url-status=live |access-date=January 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190116061141/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/weather-closes-every-highway-linking-lower-mainland-to-rest-of-b-c-1.3975497 |archive-date=January 16, 2019}}</ref> This can result in hazardous driving conditions, as people are usually travelling between warmer areas such as Vancouver or [[Kamloops, British Columbia|Kamloops]], and may be unaware that the conditions may be slippery and cold.<ref name="Coq">{{cite web |url=https://www.tranbc.ca/2016/12/22/what-you-need-to-know-about-winter-weather-on-the-coq/ |title=What You Need to Know About Winter Weather on the "Coq" |publisher=TranBC |access-date=January 16, 2019 |archive-date=October 17, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017152459/http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=3044ae3a-ed05-465b-8305-78290b1b07cb |url-status=live }}</ref> [[File:Shuswap Lake from Sorrento, B.C..jpg|thumb|Shuswap Lake as seen from Sorrento]] Winters are generally severe in the Northern Interior which is generally in the [[subarctic climate]] zone, but even there, milder air can penetrate far inland. The coldest temperature in British Columbia was recorded in [[Smith River, British Columbia|Smith River]], where it dropped to {{convert|-58.9|C}} on January 31, 1947,<ref name="KCH-WD2-2002">{{cite web |url=http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/almanac/arc2002/alm02feb.htm |title=North America's Record Cold |last=Heidorn |first=Keith C. |year=2002 |publisher=The Weather Doctor Almanac |access-date=July 14, 2012 |archive-date=July 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120721011243/http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/almanac/arc2002/alm02feb.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> one of the coldest readings recorded anywhere in North America. [[Atlin, British Columbia|Atlin]] in the province's far northwest, along with the adjoining Southern Lakes region of [[Yukon]], get midwinter thaws caused by the [[Chinook (wind)|Chinook]] effect, which is also common (and much warmer) in more southerly parts of the Interior. During winter on the coast, [[rainfall]], sometimes relentless heavy rain, dominates because of consistent barrages of cyclonic low-pressure systems from the North Pacific. Average snowfall on the coast during a normal winter is between {{convert|25|and|50|cm|0}}, but on occasion (and not every winter) heavy snowfalls with more than {{convert|20|cm|0}} and well below freezing temperatures arrive when modified arctic air reaches coastal areas, typically for short periods, and can take temperatures below {{convert|-10|C}}, even at sea level. Arctic outflow winds can occasionally result in wind chill temperatures at or even below {{convert|-17.8|C}}.{{Citation needed|date=June 2019}} While winters are very wet, coastal areas are generally milder and dry during summer under the influence of stable anti-cyclonic high pressure. Southern Interior valleys are hot in summer; for example, in [[Osoyoos]], the July maximum temperature averages {{convert|31.7|C}}, making it the hottest month of any location in Canada; this hot weather sometimes spreads towards the coast or to the far north of the province. Temperatures often exceed {{convert|40|C}} in the lower elevations of valleys in the Interior during mid-summer, with the record high of {{convert|49.6|C}} being held in [[Lytton, British Columbia|Lytton]] on June 29, 2021, during [[2021 Western North America heat wave|a record-breaking heat wave that year]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Uguen-Csenge |first1=Eva |last2=Lindsay |first2=Bethany |date=June 29, 2021 |title=For 3rd straight day, B.C. village smashes record for highest Canadian temperature at 49.6 C |work=[[CBC News]] |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-alberta-heat-wave-heat-dome-temperature-records-1.6084203 |url-status=live |access-date=June 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210801154046/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-alberta-heat-wave-heat-dome-temperature-records-1.6084203 |archive-date=August 1, 2021}}</ref> [[File:Vineyards Lake Okanagan.jpg|thumb|The [[Okanagan]] region has a climate suitable for vineyards.]] The extended summer dryness often creates conditions that spark forest fires, from dry-lightning or man-made causes. Many areas of the province are often covered by a blanket of heavy cloud and low fog during the winter months, in contrast to abundant summer sunshine. Annual sunshine hours vary from 2200 near Cranbrook and Victoria to less than 1300 in [[Prince Rupert, British Columbia|Prince Rupert]], on the [[British Columbia Coast#North Coast|North Coast]] just south of [[Southeast Alaska]]. The exception to British Columbia's wet and cloudy winters is during the [[El Niño]] phase. During El Niño events, the jet stream is much farther south across North America, making the province's winters milder and drier than normal. Winters are much wetter and cooler during the opposite phase, [[La Niña]]. {| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:60%; font-size:95%;" |+ Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for selected cities in British Columbia<ref name="Canadian Climate Normals or Averages 1981–2010">{{cite web |date=October 31, 2011 |title=Canadian Climate Normals or Averages 1981–2010 |url=http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/index_e.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227145147/http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/index_e.html |archive-date=February 27, 2014 |access-date=December 19, 2014 |publisher=[[Environment Canada]]}}</ref> |- ! rowspan=2 | Municipality ! colspan=2 | January ! colspan=2 | April ! colspan=2 | July ! colspan=2 | October |- ! data-sort-type=number | Max ! data-sort-type=number | Min ! data-sort-type=number | Max ! data-sort-type=number | Min ! data-sort-type=number | Max ! data-sort-type=number | Min ! data-sort-type=number | Max ! data-sort-type=number | Min |- | [[Prince Rupert, British Columbia|Prince Rupert]] | {{convert|5.6|C|1}} | {{convert|-0.8|C|1}} | {{convert|10.2|C|1}} | {{convert|2.5|C|1}} | {{convert|16.2|C|1}} | {{convert|10.5|C|1}} | {{convert|11.1|C|1}} | {{convert|4.9|C|1}} |- | [[Tofino]] | {{convert|8.3|C|1}} | {{convert|2.3|C|1}} | {{convert|11.9|C|1}} | {{convert|4.0|C|1}} | {{convert|18.9|C|1}} | {{convert|10.5|C|1}} | {{convert|13.6|C|1}} | {{convert|6.3|C|1}} |- | [[Nanaimo]] | {{convert|6.9|C|1}} | {{convert|0.1|C|1}} | {{convert|14.1|C|1}} | {{convert|3.9|C|1}} | {{convert|23.9|C|1}} | {{convert|12.3|C|1}} | {{convert|14.6|C|1}} | {{convert|5.2|C|1}} |- | [[Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria]] | {{convert|7.6|C|1}} | {{convert|1.5|C|1}} | {{convert|13.6|C|1}} | {{convert|4.3|C|1}} | {{convert|22.4|C|1}} | {{convert|11.3|C|1}} | {{convert|14.2|C|1}} | {{convert|5.7|C|1}} |- | [[Vancouver]] | {{convert|6.9|C|1}} | {{convert|1.4|C|1}} | {{convert|13.2|C|1}} | {{convert|5.6|C|1}} | {{convert|22.2|C|1}} | {{convert|13.7|C|1}} | {{convert|13.5|C|1}} | {{convert|7.0|C|1}} |- | [[Chilliwack]] | {{convert|6.1|C|1}} | {{convert|0.4|C|1}} | {{convert|15.8|C|1}} | {{convert|5.2|C|1}} | {{convert|25.0|C|1}} | {{convert|12.5|C|1}} | {{convert|15.3|C|1}} | {{convert|6.4|C|1}} |- | [[Penticton]] | {{convert|1.8|C|1}} | {{convert|-3.0|C|1}} | {{convert|15.7|C|1}} | {{convert|2.5|C|1}} | {{convert|28.7|C|1}} | {{convert|13.3|C|1}} | {{convert|14.3|C|1}} | {{convert|3.2|C|1}} |- | [[Kamloops]] | {{convert|0.4|C|1}} | {{convert|-5.9|C|1}} | {{convert|16.6|C|1}} | {{convert|3.2|C|1}} | {{convert|28.9|C|1}} | {{convert|14.2|C|1}} | {{convert|13.7|C|1}} | {{convert|3.3|C|1}} |- | [[Osoyoos]] | {{convert|2.0|C|1}} | {{convert|-3.8|C|1}} | {{convert|18.1|C|1}} | {{convert|3.6|C|1}} | {{convert|31.5|C|1}} | {{convert|14.3|C|1}} | {{convert|16.4|C|1}} | {{convert|3.5|C|1}} |- | [[Princeton, British Columbia|Princeton]] | {{convert|-1.4|C|1}} | {{convert|-8.6|C|1}} | {{convert|14.4|C|1}} | {{convert|-0.3|C|1}} | {{convert|26.3|C|1}} | {{convert|9.5|C|1}} | {{convert|13.2|C|1}} | {{convert|0.3|C|1}} |- | [[Cranbrook, British Columbia|Cranbrook]] | {{convert|-1.9|C|1}} | {{convert|-10.2|C|1}} | {{convert|12.9|C|1}} | {{convert|0.3|C|1}} | {{convert|26.2|C|1}} | {{convert|11.2|C|1}} | {{convert|11.7|C|1}} | {{convert|-0.3|C|1}} |- | [[Prince George, British Columbia|Prince George]] | {{convert|-4.0|C|1}} | {{convert|-11.7|C|1}} | {{convert|11.2|C|1}} | {{convert|-1.1|C|1}} | {{convert|22.4|C|1}} | {{convert|9.1|C|1}} | {{convert|9.4|C|1}} | {{convert|-0.5|C|1}} |- | [[Fort Nelson, British Columbia|Fort Nelson]] | {{convert|-16.1|C|1}} | {{convert|-24.6|C|1}} | {{convert|9.6|C|1}} | {{convert|-3.6|C|1}} | {{convert|23.2|C|1}} | {{convert|10.9|C|1}} | {{convert|5.2|C|1}} | {{convert|-4.2|C|1}} |} Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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