17 temperature records Wednesday as southern B.C. sweltered in pre-summer heat

VANCOUVER – Temperature records tumbled across much of British Columbia's south coast Wednesday as Environment Canada says a strong ridge of high pressure kept clouds away.

The weather office reports 17 records were set as the mercury nudged 30 C or higher for much of the region from Vancouver Island to Squamish, Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and as far east as Merritt and Princeton.

Chilliwack, Agassiz and Princeton each hit 33 C, shattering records that in Princeton's case, stood since 1918.

Temperatures in Victoria reached 29.6 C, more than half a degree higher than the previous record set in 1932, while Environment Canada says the Vancouver area hit 29.1 C.

Records were also set in Abbotsford, Hope, Campbell River, Powell River, Squamish, Nanaimo and Tofino.

Forecasters say temperatures should moderate Thursday and Friday, but long range predictions don't call for much-needed rain on the south coast.