Metro’s driest May on record has been both boon and bane
Sunny skies promoted outdoor fun but contributed to flooding, wildfires
As rivers swelled with water, precious little fell from the sky in May, making it one of the driest months on record in Metro Vancouver.
Environment Canada recorded 1.6 millimetres of precipitation at the Vancouver airport in May, breaking a record set in May 2015 when just 4.2 mm of rain fell over the course of the month. The average monthly rainfall for May is 65 mm.
“If we don’t get any more precipitation today, it will be the driest May on record,” confirmed Environment Canada meteorologist Michel Gelinas on Thursday afternoon, about 13 hours shy of midnight and the end of the month.
The unseasonably dry weather has been both boon and bane.
Warm weather, not rain, accelerated snow melt in the mountains and contributed to flooding in some parts of B.C., with the Fraser River peaking at just under six metres at the Mission gauge on May 20. Dry weather also played a role in several wildfires.
Clear skies brought crowds of people to the Abbotsford Tulip Festival in mid-May, said farmer Alexis Warmerdam, although the heat caused the blooms to fade a little faster than hoped.
“The flowers didn’t last a long time this year,” said Warmerdam, who joked that new farmers learn very quickly that the weather can’t be controlled. “You have to give up your hopes and dreams and take what comes.”
The dry weather was ideal for strawberries, said Abbotsford farmer Amir Maan. Because moisture can cause mould issues, there was less need for fungicide this year. The sun also helped to make the berries sweet.
“It was California weather in Abbotsford,” said the owner of Maan Farms.
But Maan said the dry weather could be hard on crops that don’t get water. While his family has invested in irrigation, some farms don’t have access to water or can’t afford it.
The flowers didn’t last a long time this year. You have to give up your hopes anddreams at take what comes.
“When I go into the irrigation stores right now, they’re just packed,” he said. “Normally, water becomes a concern in June and July.”
Both the City of Surrey and the Surrey Board of Trade recognized water access as a looming issue for farmers.
In recent submissions to the committee tasked with reviewing the Agricultural Land Reserve, both called on the province to look at the water-licence system, pointing to the need to water crops in times of drought. A significant portion of the city’s farmland doesn’t have access to water for irrigation. But the lack of rain also meant that it was fantastic weather for being outside, as evidenced by the steady stream of tourists renting a bike at Spokes Bike Rentals on West Georgia Street.
“The weather was definitely ideal for riding,” said manager Brian Vetter.
Compared with last May when rain kept people away for the beginning of the month, the number of rentals was steady.
It was also a good month at English Bay Bike Rentals.
“We’re quite dependent on the weather, so the sun was great,” said employee Cameron Fennema.
Gelinas said there are some indications that the warm weather will stick around. While there’s rain in the forecast for Sunday, Environment Canada’s seasonal forecast is showing an 80 to 90 per cent probability of warmer-than-average temperatures for June, July and August in Metro.
It’s showing a 70 to 80 per cent probability for the same months in the Fraser Valley.
The seasonal forecast for precipitation is a little less definitive, with Environment Canada predicting a 40 to 50 per cent chance of below-average precipitation for June, July and August in Metro.