Canada has recorded the highest temperature in its history after a village in British Columbia reached 115 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday.
Temperatures in Lytton, B.C., surpassed the previous national record of 113 F (45 C) set on July 5, 1937, in Saskatchewan, according to Environment Canada.
“Did we read this correctly… you’re saying all-time maximum temperature for all 10 provinces for anytime of the year? That is phenomenal!” tweeted the National Weather Service of Missoula, Montana.
More records are expected to be broken Monday, said Environment Canada meteorologist Derek Lee, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
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“So you thought yesterday was hot out? Tomorrow might be even hotter,” Lee said. “I know a lot of people probably aren’t prepared for the heat, but we still have a few more days to go.”
Parts of Canada and the Pacific Northwest are currently sweltering under a “heat dome,” which is essentially a strong ridge of high pressure that traps warm air underneath — like a dome, Environment Canada Senior Climatologist Dave Phillips told CTV News Saturday.
A heat warning is in effect for much of Western Canada and numerous daily temperature records were shattered across B.C., located just north of Washington State, the country’s weather agency said.
“This is headshaking for somebody like a climatologist, like myself. I mean I like to break a record, but this is like shattering and pulverizing them,” Phillips said. “It’s warmer in parts of western Canada than in Dubai. I mean, it’s just not something that seems Canadian.”
Phillips noted the extreme heat could pose significant health risks for the elderly and those with underlying health issues. The risk of wildfires is also a concern, he added.
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In the U.S., Portland, Oregon, reached 112 degrees Fahrenheit (44.4 Celsius) Sunday, which broke its all-time temperature record of 108 F (42.2C) – set a day earlier.
Isis Macadaeg, age 7, plays in a spray park at Jefferson Park during a heat wave in Seattle, Washington, U.S., on June 27, 2021. REUTERS/Karen Ducey
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The temperature also hit 104 F (40 C) in Seattle – an area known more for rain than heat. According to the National Weather Service, (NWS) that temperature was an all-time record for the city.
With fewer than half of Pacific Northwest residents having home air conditioning, the intense heat triggered the opening of “cooling centers” and health warnings. More than 90% of the American West is also in the midst of a historic and life-threatening drought, which may stretch through the summer.
Fox News’ Julia Musto and the Associated press contributed to this report
