Vancouver breaks 1898 temperature record as hot weather pushes B.C. power demand to May high

A stretch of unusually hot weather across British Columbia has broken temperature records in communities across the province and pushed electricity demand to a new May high.

BC Hydro says power demand climbed to about 7,600 megawatts as residents turned to fans and air conditioners to cope with the heat — the highest level the utility has ever recorded for the month of May.

Vancouver tops a record that stood for more than a century

In Vancouver, Monday’s temperature reached 23.9 C, breaking the previous daily record of 22.2 C that had stood since 1898. Historical weather data for Vancouver also shows a daily high of 25.8 C on May 4, 2026.

The record in Vancouver was part of a much wider wave of heat across the province.

Environment Canada said 19 communities set new daily highs for May 4, highlighting how widespread the warm spell became.

Interior and coastal communities both saw record warmth

Among the hottest places in the province was Pemberton, which reached 31.5 C, while Lytton was identified as Canada’s hot spot on Monday at 31.9 C.

Other communities that set daily temperature records included Bella Coola, Campbell River, Duncan, Kitimat, Lillooet, Nanaimo, Port Alberni and Squamish. In Metro Vancouver, new daily highs were also recorded in Richmond, West Vancouver and Pitt Meadows.

The breadth of the records shows that the heat was not confined to one part of B.C., with both coastal and Interior communities seeing temperatures rise well above seasonal norms.

High-pressure ridge behind the heat

Meteorologists say the warm conditions have been driven by a ridge of high pressure settled over the province. That pattern is expected to ease somewhat over the next few days before warmer conditions return again heading into the weekend.

For now, the combination of record-setting heat and unusually strong electricity demand offers an early sign of how quickly spring weather in British Columbia can shift into summer-like territory.