Record-breaking Warm Temperatures In Thompson-Okanagan

Six daytime high temperature records fell in the Thompson and Okanagan regions yesterday, Feb. 7.

The warmest record to fall was in Lytton where it reached 14.2 Celsius, breaking the 12 C set in 2015.

Cache Creek’s 13.5 C just passed its old record of 13.2, also set in 2015, according to Environment Canada.

Penticton, at 13.5 C, broke its record of 11.1 for the day set in 1995.

Vernon’s 12 C broke its old record of 8.3 C set in 1960, while Summerland, at 11.7 C, broke its record of 10.6 C set in 1953.

Salmon Arm came in at 12.9 C, breaking the 9.4 C it set in 1918.

Kelowna recorded a high of 12 C yesterday, which was not listed as a record. According to the Environment Canada website the previous high was 6.6 C in 2008 but that only covers the years 2006-10. A different data base shows that, in 2015 when temperature records were set in Cache Creek and Lytton, Kelowna got to 8.8 C.

Kamloops recorded a high of 11.9 C yesterday, also not listed as a record. The highest temperature recorded since 1951 was 11.4 C in 2015. The coldest Feb. 7 on record for Kamloops is listed as -23.9 C in 1975.

The Environment Canada listings of record setting temperatures notes that “this summary may contain preliminary or unofficial information and does not constitute a complete or final report.”

It also notes that historical data is taken from a selection of historical stations that were active at the time.

Records are not likely to fall today as it’s forecast to be cloudy with a 40% chance of wet flurries or showers throughout much of the region with a high of 4 C forecast for Kamloops, and 8 C for the North and Central Okanagan. Penticton is looking at a high of 7 C, mainly cloudy but without any precipitation expected.

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