Environment Canada has warned of an “early season heat event” across much of southern British Columbia starting Saturday and persisting into early next week.
The weather office issued more than 30 special weather statements heading into the weekend, saying a ridge of high pressure will bring elevated temperatures that could reach the low 30s on the coast and the mid-30s inland.
The impact of early season heat “can be significant due to the lack of acclimatization to elevated temperatures,” the bulletins said.
The weather statements span the Lower Mainland, the Sea to Sky corridor, the Fraser Canyon, the Okanagan and parts of Vancouver Island.
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A joint statement from the Provincial Health Services Authority and the BC Centre for Disease Control said that while the forecast does not constitute a heat warning or extreme heat emergency, the first stretch of high temperatures of the season can lead to people overheating because they aren’t yet accustomed to the heat.
It’s important to monitor for health impacts and consider checking in on neighbours and friends who are at higher risk, such as the elderly, children, people with severe mental illness and those with pre-existing conditions, the statement said.
Environment Canada has also urged people to watch for signs of heat illness, including heavy sweating, rash, cramps and fainting.
The weather office has encouraged people to keep cool indoors by closing curtains or blinds, saying fans alone cannot effectively lower body temperature.
Overnight lows are forecast to be in the low to mid-teens across southern B.C.
Meanwhile, the province’s SPCA issued a statement warning people to keep animals out of hot vehicles.
Even a few minutes in a hot car can be life-threatening for animals, the agency said, adding its helpline had already received 164 calls this year about such situations, but that number is expected to rise with the temperatures.
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