High-temperature records were smashed in Squamish three days in a row last weekend.
And, the River Forecast Centre lists the Upper Squamish River as one of 12 snow stations that measured all-time low snow water equivalents (SWE) on March 1.
SWE is a measure of the amount of water in the snowpack. The Upper Squamish River station showed 42% of the normal amount of water in the snow. That is a 32-year south coast low.
The verdict is in, the weather is increasingly wacky and warmer.
According to the World Economic Forum, extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths worldwide.
We will need to think more about how we design our housing in order to keep us cool, but with the warmer season already upon us, future designs won’t help us now.
So, in our daily lives, we have to plan and think more like people in hot countries than like folks used to milder climates.
It makes sense, for example, to have trees and other garden items that provide shade, if you can. (If you are looking to buy a new place, does it have opportunities for shade?)
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, it can be up to 4 C cooler under a tree.
And air conditioning units, while not historically something we west coasters needed, are necessary now.
If you can afford to retrofit your home to be more energy-efficient and heat-sufficient, do that, but many of us likely can’t in this economy.
So, snag a portable air conditioner or even a couple of box fans at a local home improvement store before the next heat wave hits.
(If you can’t afford an air conditioner, consider the BC Hydro free programs based on income.)
With our gorgeous views, we all typically love having our blinds up, but it is a bad idea if staying cool is your goal. Keep your blinds closed in summer, and if able, get block-out curtains to keep the house cooler.
And if you have a ceiling fan, the Government of South Australia—which should know a thing or two about heat—advises to "set your ceiling fans to rotate counter-clockwise in summer to push air straight down, helping to create a cooling effect and clockwise in winter to pull cool air up. In warmer weather, set the fan speed high."
And, with the low snowpack, we are going to need to change our water-thirsty culture.
If you have a green thumb, try Xeriscaping, which means using plants that require less water. And, get in the habit of never pouring water down the drain when there may be another use for it—like for plants. Also, don’t run the tap, letting unused water go down the drain, and get used to shorter showers.
The new hotter normal is here, and the sooner we adapt, the cooler we will all be.
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