Fill the pool and find the sunscreen.
It’s going to get hot.
Temperatures in Chilliwack could climb as high as 36 degrees by Sunday, prompting tips on ways to stay cool and warnings to leave the dog at home.
Our relatively cool June is about to give way to the first mini heat wave of the summer. Environment Canada is forecasting temperatures to climb to 31 on Saturday and 34 on Sunday. It posted a special weather statement Friday morning, saying temperatures in the Fraser Valley could set new records. “A few daily record high temperatures will likely be broken with this heat wave.”
But other forecasters are predicting Sunday temperatures much higher to 36.
The good news is we won’t experience the same level of heat that roasted much of southwest United States this week. Temperatures there soared to 48 degrees, grounding aircraft and causing massive power outages.
Nonetheless, the BC SPCA is reminding people to leave their pets at home if they can’t keep them cool on the road.
“We can’t stress enough that it can be fatal to leave your pet in a hot car, even for 10 minutes, but still we receive hundreds of calls about animals in distress, every year,” says Lorie Chortyk, general manager of community relations for the BC SPCA. “Doing so is so dangerous for your pet – the temperature in a parked car, even in the shade with windows partly open, can rapidly reach a level that will seriously harm or even kill a pet.”
In just minutes, the temperature in a parked car can climb to well over 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit), she says.
If you see an animal you think is in distress, call the BC SPCA animal cruelty hotline at 1-855-622-7722 during business hours and staff will help connect you with your local animal control or police. In an emergency, call 911.
The SPCA reminds people that it is illegal for the public to break a window to gain access to a vehicle.
The hot weather is expected to continue on Monday, before giving way to more seasonal temperatures on Tuesday.