Chilliwack’s 2021 weather was hotter and drier than usual, but it also ushered in the wettest month in 142 years in November.
The summer heat arrived earlier than usual and stuck around, with 44 record-breaking high temperatures in Chilliwack, with only eight record-breaking lows.
“With average temperatures at 1.51 C above normal, it was the ninth consecutive year in excess of the 0.6 C standard deviation, an observation never previously observed, and continuing the warming trend which started in 1986,” according to Roger Pannett, volunteer weather observer for Environment Canada at Chilliwack.
From June to September there were 26 hot days with sizzling temperatures over 30 C.
Even so, the year 2015 remains the warmest on record, with an average temperature of 12.85 C, which is 2.65 C above normal.
But it was the 20th consecutive year with well above the average of seven hot days, a trend never previously observed in the records dating back to 1871.
Temperature extremes for 2021 were the all-time high temperature of 43 C, which was 21.9 C above normal, on June 28, and the record low of -16.4 °C, plus wind chill, which was more than 16 degrees below normal, on December 27.
In 2021 there were 219 frost-free days compared to the average 216 days.
This past summer’s 46-day drought, from June 16 to August 1, saw zero rainfall in July, which was the driest on record.
In comparison historical November rainfall at 615.6 mm was the wettest month in more than 142 years in Chilliwack. December 1979 was previously the wettest month with 586.2 mm. Fall 2021 was also the wettest on record, 997.5 mm compared to the 537.5 mm fall average.
There were five 24-hour rainfall records, including the wettest September day on record, 89.5 mm on Sept. 17 and the historical all time record rainfall of 154.6 mm on Nov. 14.
However for the 9th consecutive year precipitation totals were -6.85 per cent, which is below the 30-year average, including rainfall that was 4.25 per cent below normal and snowfall 42 per cent below normal.
RELATED: 2020 weather saw less rain
RELATED: 2019 saw higher than average temps
Do you have something to add to this story, or a news tip? Email:
jfeinberg@theprogress.com
@CHWKjourno
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.