Environment Canada has upgraded the special weather statement to a heat warning for the first hot stretch of the summer for the south coast.
The heat warning is in effect today and Monday.
The Fraser Valley will see daytime highs rising to near 34 with an overnight low in the high-teens. Remaining regions such as Metro Vancouver and Howe Sound can expect daytime highs rising into the low 30’s with overnight lows down to the mid-teens.
There will be some respite from the elevated daytime temperatures as overnight lows fall into the mid-teens. With elevated temperatures, the risk of heat related illness increases. Freezing levels rise throughout this event and will lead to an increase in snowmelt and snowpack instability. Increased stream flows due to run-off are probable.
Although heat is expected, bodies of water still remain cool for this time of year and may pose a risk of hypothermia with prolonged exposure. Temperatures are expected to return to near-normal values by the middle of next week as a cooler, unsettled airmass pushes onshore.
Extreme heat affects everyone. Watch for the effects of heat illness: swelling, rash, cramps, fainting, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and the worsening of some health conditions. Drink plenty of water even before you feel thirsty and stay in a cool place.
