Temperature records set on balmy Monday in B.C.

Monday ’s warmth saw record high temperatures all along B.C.’s coast.

From Prince Rupert to Victoria, seven communities broke temperature records for March 12, some long-standing.

In Prince Rupert, the mercury hit 17.5 C, beating the old record of 16.7 set in 1937.

Halfway down the coast, Bella Bella hit 16 degrees, beating the 2005 record high of 13 degrees. Victoria airport saw a new record high of 16.8 degrees, just squeaking ahead of 1965’s 16.7 degrees, while the thermometer at Victoria’s harbour registered 16 degrees, breaking the 2005 mark of 15.7 degrees.

Two communities in the Lower Mainland set records: Pitt Meadows registered 19.5 degrees, just edging out the old record of 19.4 degrees in 1941, and White Rock hit 20.3 degrees, two degrees warmer than the old mark, another set in 1965.

And one community inland broke a record: Dease Lake, in northwestern British Columbia, recorded a high of nine degrees on Monday, beating out 1965’s high of 8.3 degrees.

Environment Canada meteorologist Dave Wray credited “a really strong ridge of high pressure, which for this time of year was fairly strong.”

That ridge of high pressure is set to break down over the rest of Monday, he said, and will allow a weak system to move in.

“Expect some light precipitation around midday (today),” he said.

While the forecast suggested more clouds and perhaps some showers through Thursday, the end of the week looked promising.

“The good news as we head toward the end of the week and the weekend is we’ll see the return of sunny conditions,” Wray said.

Temperatures will be around seasonal expectations, in the low teens.

“Pleasant,” he said.