B.C. climate data shows 'significantly' drier spring: Environment Canada

B.C. was"significantly drier" than usual throughout March, April, and May this year, according to Environment Canada.

In some areas, the agency said,precipitation during "meteorological spring" was at half its historical rates.

"We saw about 40 to 70 per cent of average rainfall for many communities, both on the coast and over the B.C. Interior," Environment Canada meteorologist Trevor Smith said Friday.

Smith said Comox, Kelowna and Prince George saw their driest springs on record for thethree-month period.Fort Nelson saw its second-driest spring.

Comox, on Vancouver Island,recorded74millimetres ofrain in March, April and Maycompared to normal monthly rainfall of 215millimetres.

Kelowna saw just over 43 millimetres during the same time compared to a normal monthly rainfall of 86 millimetres. In Prince George, that number was at 58millimetres compared to 114millimetres.

The agency also said temperatures werewarmer than normal across several areas of the province over the last three months.

Victoria saw an average temperature of 9.9 C over the three-month period, compared to the usual 9.3 C. Fort Nelson, which usually sees temperatures of 1.7 C, hovered around 4 C instead.

Temperature records have been breaking across B.C. since March. More than 30maximum daytime temperature records fell in a single day on March 18.