We’re not talking about booze when we say that it has been a very dry January in Vancouver, a month that so far has produced very little in the form of wet weather.
According to Environment and Climate Change (ECCC) meteorologist Lisa Erven, as of January 20, this January is Vancouver’s third driest since 1897. Additionally, we haven’t had measurable precipitation since then.
For Abbotsford, it’s the third driest January since 1945.
Erven said, “These are long-standing precipitation stations.”
Vancouver’s recent string of consistently dry weather has a reason, and it will likely remain that way until at least mid-next week.
“BC has been under a predominant ridge of high pressure for most of the month of January, and high pressure tends to deflect storm tracks,” Erven informed us.
ECCC’s forecast has often changed over the past few weeks, highlighting the unpredictability of the current weather pattern. At one point, we had a chance of snow in the forecast, which did not materialize.
“Confidence in the long-range forecast is quite low. Blocking patterns like this can be very stubborn.”
There is rain in the forecast for late next week on Wednesday and Thursday.
ECCC
While we’ve had the temperatures for flurries and a weak frontal system that brought a heightened chance of flurries, that front weakened when it reached us and didn’t produce much over the South Coast.
There’s a strong chance that the dry conditions will subsist until the very end of the month.
“We’ll have to see what happens for those last few days of January,” Erven added.
While many residents are likely enjoying the uncharacteristic prolonged January sunshine, BC’s forests will hopefully get some much-needed moisture sooner rather than later.
How do you feel about this dry January in Vancouver? Do you wish we had more moisture or even snow, or are you happy with the sunshine and killer sunsets we’ve been getting?