Warm weather across British Columbia has driven electricity demand to the highest level ever seen in May.
B.C. Hydro said residents using fans and air conditioners pushed demand to about 7,600 megawatts.
The record demand comes as temperature records continue to fall across B.C. as unseasonably warm weather persists, including in Vancouver, where a mark set more than 100 years ago was broken.
Environment Canada said Vancouver’s high temperature on Monday reached 23.9 C, easily breaking the record of 22.2 C set in 1898.
The weather forecast agency said 19 communities set new daily highs for May 4 on Monday, including Pemberton, which reported a high of 31.5 C.
Meteorologists said the high temperatures are driven by a ridge of high pressure that will slowly cool down over the next few days before getting warm again this weekend.
The national hot spot on Monday was Lytton, B.C., at 31.9 C.
New daily temperature records were also set on Monday in Bella Coola, Campbell River, Duncan, Kitimat, Lillooet, Nanaimo, Port Alberni and Squamish.
Temperature records were also broken in the Metro Vancouver communities of Richmond, West Vancouver and Pitt Meadows.
