2012 Weather Summary for South Coastal B.C.
So, herewith some of the records we’ve challenged or broken in the last few years (records began at the Vancouver Airport in 1937).
2009-2010 was the warmest winter ever.
2009-10 warmest winter and warmest Spring back- to-back – this is extraordinary according to David Phillips, Environment Canada.
2010 was the third hottest summer ever.
November 23, 2010 - second coldest on record (high of -3.2C) excellent for picking grapes. The vintners like to get the grapes off the vines early (in November). If they wait until January, they have a reduced crop (birds, raccoons, deer).
2011 and 2012 were La Nina years (cool and wet weather in winter and late Spring).
2012 By the first week of April, our gardens were about four weeks behind
May slightly drier than average, June very cool and wet (+50% rain). Usually by June 13, Vancouver has had 99 hours of sunshine. By June 13, 2012 we had had only 54 hours, but not a record!
By the end of June, the local blueberry crop was about three weeks behind because of cool, rainy weather in Metro Vancouver. Out of June’s 30 days, 25 were cooler than the historical average.
Vancouver was wet until July 3, 2012, when the sun came out.
By August 7, we had had record high temperatures set in Squamish, Victoria and West Vancouver.
From August 1 to Sept 29, we had 7.9 mm rain. The average for the same period is 92.6 mm.
We had 100 days with sun and without rain. This period ended October 10.
October was wetter than normal (165 mm vs average 112, but not a record).
Between Oct 10 and December 28 (80 days) there were only 11 dry days. Only one dry day in the first 28 days of December. December was gloomy and grey (+27% rain).
In summary, according the UN weather agency: “despite early cooling from La Nina, 2012 is on track to become one of the top ten hottest years on record with the US experiencing extreme warmth and the Arctic Sea shrinking to its lowest extent”.
Nine of the top ten hottest years occurred in the 2000s. 1998 is the other ‘top ten hottest year’ so all of the top ten hottest years worldwide have occurred since 1998.
2012 was the hottest La Nina year on record.
Prepared and Presented to the Basic Training Class in 2013 by Derry Walsh Vancouver MG’84
