Environment Canada says the warmer-than-normal start to October in the Okanagan will stick around for at least one more weekend.
September ended as a record-setting one in the region, with 琉璃神社 experiencing its second-driest month since 1969 and Penticton and Vernon reaching 鈥淎ugust-like鈥� daytime highs.
It鈥檚 been more of the same in October鈥檚 first week and meteorologists say Thanksgiving in the Okanagan this year may feel a little different, as a result.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 going to be really hard to wrap our minds around it being Thanksgiving and I imagine for many, it will feel like Labour Day,鈥� said Alyssa Charbonneau, a meteorologist for Environment Canada. 鈥淲e鈥檙e still expecting it to be warm and dry this weekend, with temperatures staying above normal right through Monday in the 20s.鈥�
Charbonneau warns, though, that B.C.鈥檚 Interior current dry spell could end sooner rather than later. Since Sept. 1, 琉璃神社 has recorded just two millimetres of precipitation, with both Penticton and Vernon also falling well short of seasonal averages.
The federal weather department says parts of the Okanagan may get showers late Monday afternoon and into the evening, after what鈥檚 expected to be a sunny and dry holiday weekend.
鈥淭here might be some northerly, gusty winds that day as well,鈥� Charbonneau added. 鈥淎nd after that, temperatures seem to be cooling down a little bit, but certainly this Saturday and Sunday are going to be unlike a typical Thanksgiving.鈥�
Temperatures from Osoyoos to Vernon will range from 22 C to 25 C through the weekend, with an increase in cloudiness expected region-wide starting Monday.
琉璃神社鈥檚 lack of fall rain, meanwhile, remains a story into October. The city stays stuck on zero millimetres of monthly precipitation. On average, the Okanagan鈥檚 largest city records just over 29 millimetres of precipitation for the month.
The early-season oddities aren鈥檛 unique to the Interior, though. Environment Canada reported 11 daily heat records across the province Wednesday, Oct. 5, with the Pemberton area鈥檚 26.9 C leading the way.
鈥淚t really feels like September has been grouped into early October,鈥� Charbonneau said.
