Summertime and the livin’ is easy here on the North Shore.
The Shipyards Night Market on Fridays is in full swing — featuring food trucks of every flavour. The sound of smooth jazz floating in the summer breeze will fill the air with the start of the North Shore Jazz Festival this week, and again during the Harmony Arts Festival in August. Plus, the crowd-pleasing Canada Day and Caribbean Days celebrations are just around the corner.
Blue skies and plenty of sunshine are, of course, the accoutrements for these fun outdoor events. But you won’t have to travel to Trinidad and Tobago to find the heat: Environment Canada meteorologists are predicting a warmer than normal summer on the West Coast. The Lower Mainland has already gotten a jump-start on the glorious weather and it’s just a taste of what’s to come.
“I think we are seeing a really early teaser here of summer,” said Environment Canada meteorologist Matt MacDonald at the start of last week’s warm spell.
Many people broke out their shorts and T-shirts months ago, as spring masqueraded as summer this year: hardly a drop of rain was felt on the “Wet Coast” during the driest May on record since 1937 with only 4.2 millimetres of precipitation recorded versus the normal of 65 mm.
Much like last summer, B.C. residents will relish in warmer than normal weather, with one caveat: meteorologists can’t predict the precipitation, because it’s always “a crapshoot,” says MacDonald. But not to worry, a below-average rainfall is expected for the region.
Vancouverites can expect average daily temperature highs this summer to hover around 24 or 25 Celsius, along with some heat waves.
“The Blob” — an expanse of exceptionally warm water that has been sitting off Vancouver Island since 2014 — has played a role in boosting temperatures in these parts for the past couple years.
B.C. residents will earn bragging rights for their hot weather this summer when talking to their counterparts in Eastern Canada, where temperatures will be below normal. Not that we’re competitive when it comes to weather, or sports.
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From gelaterias to bicycle shops, North Shore retailers have been embracing the early start to summer, which has been a boon for business.
Steed Cycles, in the heart of the commuter corridor on Marine Drive, has been busier than usual with walk-in traffic and bike tune-ups. The balmy winter weather signalled an early start to cycling season, says Steed sales manager Paul McCarthy.
For those biking this summer, McCarthy cautions it can be deceiving how much sun is beating down on you. “If you are on a long, open road for hours, it’s like sitting in a park,” says McCarthy, adding cyclists can protect themselves in the sun with waterproof sunscreen and polarized sunglasses.
McCarthy’s recommendation for an easy Sunday afternoon ride this summer is the paved pathway inside the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve. “It’s not too many steep hills, it’s rolling, it’s pretty easy — so it suits everybody,” says McCarthy.
What better way to cool down after a bike ride on a hot day than with some gelato or ice cream. Brazza Gelato and Coffee co-owner Tony Mastrangelo says in the summer people tend to be out celebrating and sometimes that involves indulging in a scoop, or two, of the sweet treat.
The most popular flavour doled out at the Lonsdale-located gelateria is lemon.
“It’s true lemon. We squeeze them gently with a fork, and it’s delicious,” says Mastrangelo of making the gelato from scratch.
As for the age-old ice-cream question — cone or a cup — Mastrangelo says it’s a 50/50 split among his customers.
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The summer weather that’s settling upon us can be harmful to people and the environment if certain precautions are not heeded.
When an unrelenting hot spell hit B.C. in the summer of 2009, there were 115 people that succumbed to heat-related illnesses, according to provincial health statistics.
The vast majority of these deaths occurred among the elderly and in their homes, says Dr. Meena Dawar, medical health officer for Vancouver Coastal Health.
“What I find in the Lower Mainland is people don’t tend to take the heat seriously, because the temperatures are (normally) so moderate,” said Dawar.
The usual sun safety message is reinforced: wear a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses and sunscreen — and hydrate often.
Already throngs of hikers have started descending on local trails.
“We are getting in the Quarry Rock area over 3,000 people on the weekends,” reports District of North Vancouver assistant fire chief Mike Cairns.
If the tinder-dry conditions persist, Cairns said the trails could be closed to prevent people from sparking forest fires.
For protecting foliage at home, gardeners can get a sprinkler timer to avoid rising before the sun when watering is permitted. “Keep (the lawn) evenly moist — it doesn’t have to be soggy,” recommends Ineke Milligan, manager of Dykhof Nurseries and Florist.
High temperatures can take a toll on garden veggies, and only certain varieties can take the heat. “Peppers like to be dry — not so much, zucchinis,” says Milligan.
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So, if you see unsettled weather or scattered showers this week, don’t be fooled: the best weather is yet to come and should last until Labour Day.
