Top 5 Metro Vancouver weather stories of 2017
Snow and smoke overshadowed by fires and flooding
2017 was a big news year for British Columbia. And at least a couple of the top news stories were weather-related.
From a devastatingly dry summer to a winter season that just wouldn't quit, there were many factors that led to the high impact seasons. But for the first time that I can remember, climate change was at the forefront of those conversations.
Here's a look at some of the wildest weather stories of the year for Metro Vancouver, with a couple of provincial stories that were just too big to not include.
1. The worst wildfire season on record for B.C.
Topping the list was B.C.'s dry summer, which led to the longest and "most disastrous" fire season in the province's history.
The BC Wildfire Service reported 1,265 fires, which forced an estimated 50,000 British Columbians from their homes and led to a province-wide state of emergency — the first in 15 years.
A wet spring for much of the B.C. Interior led to the rapid growth of grasses that then became explosive tinder during one of the driest summers on record. Add to the mix a couple of big wind events and we had a recipe for extreme fire weather conditions from June through to September.
Climate change will continue to make our seasons hotter and drier, which will lead to less moisture in the forests, creating more fuel and more intense fires.
2. THAT winter
It was December 6, 2016 when the first of what would be many snowfalls and freeze-ups hit Metro Vancouver. And then it kept coming: in January. February. And March.
The final 2.6 cms of the season fell on March 7, in what will go down as one of the coldest and snowiest seasons on record. It will also be remembered as the year that salt became a hot commodity for the city.
The 2017 winter was a reminder of how the climate has changed in Metro Vancouver, when snowier, colder winters were the norm just a few decades ago.
3. Interior spring flooding
For parts of the B.C. Interior, a deep snow pack and a late, fast melt left communities to cope with widespread, unprecedented flooding in May and June.
Water in lakes and rivers throughout B.C.'s central Okanagan rose to historic levels that left exhausted residents with damaged homes after weeks dealing with floods. Flash flooding with intense thunderstorms led to the tragic death of two men in Cache Creek.
4. Summer of smoke
No one can deny that the wildfires this summer had the biggest impact on those forced from their homes — but the smoke became more than just a damper on the summer season for many.
After more than a month of aggressive wildfire activity in B.C.'s Interior, smoke drifted westward, prompting air quality warnings as far away as the Lower Mainland, causing concern for those with heart and lung conditions.
Parts of the province, like the Kamloops area, had it much worse, with off-the-chart Air Quality Health Index measurements. But it was also an eerie few weeks in July and August when otherwise perfect beach weather was replaced with fiery sunsets, a burning orb for the sun, and orange haze all day that irritated eyes and burned throats.
5. Wet November
The month of November was defined by a series of rainfall warnings for many parts of the province, thanks to a particularly active series of Pacific storms.
Metro Vancouver experienced 22 consecutive days of rain, with rain falling on 27 of the 30 days. The month tied for the fourth wettest November since weather records have been kept for Vancouver.
This is certainly not the definitive list for the year's weather events in Vancouver and across the province. But our changing climate will certainly keep us on our toes in the years to come.
Johanna Wagstaffe