Peace region sees record-breaking temperatures before spring

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, and Chetwynd set daily maximum temperature records on March 17th, according to preliminary data from Environment Canada.

Many communities across B.C. broke temperature records over the weekend, with 38 new records set on Sunday.

Environment Canada says the rise in warm temperatures in the province was brought in by a ridge of high pressure.

In Fort St. John, the temperature reached a record high of 19.7 C on March 17th. The previous record of 12.8 C was set in 1910.

A new record of 20 C was set in Chetwynd, breaking the previous record of 12 C set in 2021.

Dawson Creek broke two records over the weekend.

Temperatures reached 15 C in the city on Saturday, March 16th, breaking the old record of 13.9 C set in 1930. The following day, the city set a new record of 20.9 C, beating the previous record of 12.8 C in 1930.

The warm weather isn’t expected to continue throughout the week. A chance of flurries is expected on Tuesday —the first day of spring — and Wednesday, as well as periods of snow on Thursday.