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Three heat waves for Chilliwack and then a big rain in August

The dog days of summer, July 23 to Aug. 30, saw just two days of light rain showers during the blistering end to summer
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It was hot in August 2016

August was another hot and dry month for Chilliwack in 2016.

In fact it was the sixth consecutive month of drier-than-normal weather conditions, according to Roger Pannett, Chilliwack weather observer for Environment Canada.

There were three heat waves in the 'Wack, totaling eight days, where temperatures soared above 30 degrees C.

The 30-year average is more like two days max of such blistering hot weather.

When it finally rained, it really came down.

"The passage of a cold front, during the evening of August 31, produced a welcome 27.2 mm rainfall," said Pannett in his August weather report.

That rain made for the "wettest 24 hour total" since 36.6 mm fell on February 12.

Prior to that soaking, there were 39 days in the dog days of summer, July 23 to Aug. 30, which saw just two days of light rain showers, adding up to a meagre 2.2 mm.

Total rainfall for the month 54.6 per cent was actually below normal, marking the sixth consecutive month of drier than normal weather conditions.

"To date the City of Chilliwack precipitation total is 754.6 mm on 112 days compared to the average 1,047.8 mm on 106 days."

It was the second hottest August in Chilliwack since weather records started in 1895.

The high mean of 28.0°C on August 19 was the highest ever recorded in August exceeding the previous high mean of 27.5°C observed in 1960, 1965 and 1981.

That day saw a temperature extremes with the record-breaking maximum of 36 C.



Jennifer Feinberg

About the Author: Jennifer Feinberg

I have been a Chilliwack Progress reporter for 20+ years, covering the arts, city hall, as well as Indigenous, and climate change stories.
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