June 29 - Victoria's hottest day

Busy weekend. Crab day. Week recap. Bat bite. Office explosive.

Good morning !

This weekend marks the anniversary of Victoria's hottest day on record. Read about it below, but first let us know:

What did you do on Victoria's hottest day?

Comment to tell us more about how you spent June 28, 2021

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Today’s approx. read time: 4 / 7 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: ☀️ 23 / 13 

Tomorrow: ☀️ 24 / 14

Tuesday: ☀️ 24 / 13

NEWS

4 years since Victoria's hottest day

Photos: Colin Smith for Capital Daily

It was on June 28, 2021 that the high at Victoria's Gonzales measuring station—active since 1874—reached 39.8C. That was one of seven record highs at Island stations that day, including a huge leap to 41.3 on the Malahat.

These peaks came amid the heat dome that ultimately killed 619 people in BC (and billions of seashore animals).

At the main Victoria station the record of 38.7 was set on the Monday, just after the Sunday had already set a record. Many schools and some businesses shut in the heat, and some cooling stations were opened. The response was criticized at points for not providing sufficient stations (and communications), and local municipalities became more proactive about heat safety in subsequent years.

Many locals tried everything they could to keep cool, from basement sleeping to covering all their windows. Plenty of Victorians headed straight for the beach, and some of them star in this photo story assembled for Capital Daily by Colin Smith on that memorable day.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

UV index 8 (High); Humidex 26

Cooler near water by about 6 degrees

Multi-sailing ferry waits for vehicles without reservations, on this de facto long weekend. [CTV]

Expect delays on Hwy 4 near Tofino, July to Dec. [Info]

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

FOOD

BC CrabFest returns with a new downtown location

Photo: BC CrabFest (Submitted)

Get your bibs ready: BC CrabFest is back, and it’s moving into Victoria’s Inner Harbour today. Ship Point will be turned into a seaside celebration of BC’s coast: incredible seafood, vibrant local culture, and the fishing families who make it all possible.

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