Agassiz was the hottest place to be on Thursday, but perhaps not for the reason you might think.
that Weather Canada reported that at one point on Thursday (Aug. 12) evening, Agassiz was the hottest place not only in British Columbia but in Canada. At about 11 p.m. on Thursday, a keen-eyed local weather watcher noticed Agassiz’s temperature of 30.6 C was the provincial and national hot spot.
The cold spot in B.C. at the time was Yoho National Park at 13 C. Nationwide, the coldest temperature at the time was recorded on Stefansson Island, Nunavut.
Earlier the same afternoon, temperatures broke a 1990 record of 34.6 C, hitting a high of 38.2 C. Thursday’s record falls only 2.2 degrees short of the all-time record of 40.4 C, set on June 27. The June 27 temperature high broke the 2015 record as well as all local temperature records stretching back more than 120 years.
RELATED: It’s too darn hot: All-time Agassiz temperature records shattered twice in severe heat wave
Air quality in the Eastern Fraser Valley has worsened slightly from Thursday to Friday. The Air Quality Health Index Factor rose to 10 (9 yesterday)
Though no cooling centres in Agassiz-Harrison have been opened yet for this heat wave, there are two clean air shelters to offer relief from the smoky air. The Agassiz Library (7140 Cheam Avenue) will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday (Aug. 13). The Community Recreation and Cultural Centre (6660 Pioneer Avenue) will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday. The CRCC is also equipped with a water bottle filling station.
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