Malahat drivers faced record-breaking heat as traffic backed up on the mountain section of Highway 1 on Sunday (Aug. 24).
A handful of crashes and traditional Sunday summer traffic meant backups on the primary route connecting Greater Victoria and the rest of the Island, even as the region surpassed a daily heat record, according to data held by Environment Canada.
The Malahat area broke the newest record on the Island, hitting 30.2 C, topping the 29.8 daily record set in 2022. Up Island Nanaimo tied the oldest record, hitting a high of 33.3 set in 1958.
Campbell River, Courtenay and Comox all battled 2016 records, with Campbell River shaded the old 30 C temperature, hitting 30.2.
Comox and Courtenay both tied the 2016 record of 30.3.
While other areas of the province face heat warnings for the next few days, Vancouver Island begins to see a cooling trend starting Monday (Aug. 25) with temperatures in Victoria set to dwindle daily from the 25 C anticipated Monday to mainly cloudy and 22 C Wednesday.
The mid-Island will continue to feel the heat a little longer with Nanaimo and the Comox Valley facing daily highs of 29 C through Tuesday, before cooler temperatures starting Wednesday and cloud with potential for rain rolling in Saturday (Aug. 30).
