Warmest October on record for Vernon and Kelowna

October was history-making when it comes to the weather in Vernon and Kelowna.

Environment Canada said it was the warmest October on record for the two Okanagan cities, with weather data collection dating back to 1899 in Kelowna and 1900 in Vernon.

Vernon’s mean temperature for the month at the auto station was 12 degrees Celsius, 4.8 degrees warmer than the month’s mean average of 7.2 degrees.

Kelowna’s UBCO station recorded a mean temperature of 12.1 C, an anomaly of 3.9 degrees from the average of 8.2.

Nine other B.C. communities had their warmest-ever Octobers including Kamloops and Victoria. (see the list below).

(ECCC Weather British Columbia/Twitter)

October will also be remembered for its lack of rain, at least through the first three weeks of the month.

Penticton had its driest ever October with just 1 millimetre of precipitation, far below the normal of 26 mm.

Vernon had its 11th driest October with 12 mm of rain (35.0 is normal), and Kelowna’s was the 16th driest with 9.8 mm (normal 29.2 mm).