While the long weekend weather has been mostly pleasant, rainy days and cooler temperatures are on the way to Vancouver.
Philippe-Alain Bergeron, a meteorologist from Environment Canada, tells V.I.A. that some cool, wet weather will be arriving soon after mostly clear days (that said, Sunday afternoon may see thundershowers near the North Shore Mountains and Sea-to-Sky Highway).
Monday, May 20, will likely see high clouds toning the sunshine down, but no precipitation, Bergeron says, as clear skies over the Eastern Pacific drift over B.C.
That said, temperatures are forecast to drop, with highs of just 15 C and lows down to 7 C.
"We're quite confident it's just high cloudiness," he says.
However, a larger scale pattern will be building in the background and is expected late Monday night or early Tuesday, predicted to bring more serious rainfall.
"You see this often in the late spring; in late May and June," he says. "It's a cold low that comes off the Eastern Pacific."
The Tuesday system will likely be more organized than usual this time of year, meaning 20 to 30 mm of rain (less in the southwest of Metro Vancouver, more near the mountains). Bergeron notes it could be good for the province given the drought conditions and wildfire concerns.
Temperatures will be even cooler, shaving up to 5 degrees of the normal. A high of just 12 C is possible.
"It's very much that type of pattern that's typical of the infamous June-uary," says Bergeron.
He notes it'll be a little moister than classic June-uarys, and a little early.
"In the famous June-uary system you get cloudiness, cool conditions and a little bit of rain," he explains. "This is maybe a little bit different."
The system is expected to move on by Wednesday morning, though the tail end may hang over the eastern edge of the region, and the weather will clear up for the rest of the day and through most of Thursday.
However, going into next weekend, a more typical version of June-uary is expected.
"We'll get those short waves dropping down from the north," he explains.
It's unclear exactly when these smaller, less organized systems will hit Vancouver, but they'll bring "some what cool or cloudy conditions with the chance of showers," Bergeron says.
A warning for travellers
With the light storm coming to the region on Tuesday, Bergeron notes those travelling B.C.'s highways system, particular the high passes like the Coquihalla, may see adverse conditions throughout the day.
A special weather statement is ending for the highways now (on Sunday, May 19), but for those travelling back to the city on Tuesday it could be poor conditions with possible snow.
