Climate Change

Long-Term Trends in Air Temperature

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Temperature changes show regional increases in temperatures over the 50-year average (changes shown are note precise for specific locations).

Air temperatures have risen throughout British Columbia over the past 50 years.

Data collected at B.C. climate stations since 1950 show these trends:

• Averaged over the whole year, air temperature has increased throughout B.C.

• Winter and spring temperatures have risen more rapidly than summer temperatures. As a result, the growing season is longer in some areas.

• The overnight average minimum temperature has increased faster than the daytime maximum. This means the daily temperature range has become narrower and there are fewer nights with frost.

• Interior B.C. is warming faster than the coast. Temperature increases have been most pronounced in northeastern B.C. and the Okanagan region.

Air temperature trends observed in B.C. are consistent with broader North American trends and with the changes predicted by climate models.

For detailed information, including graph data, see In-Depth report [pdf].

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