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'Below-average temperatures': Environment Canada updates long-term Metro Vancouver forecast

Get a sneak peek at the first week of spring, too.
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A look back at the Metro Vancouver weather forecast in January 2023 and looking ahead to February and March.

Vancouverites can enjoy some milder temperatures for roughly the next week if not longer -- but they will have to contend with some decidedly wet weather

Environment Canada Meteorologist Armel Castellan told V.I.A. that a "parade of storms" will bring ample amounts of rainfall to the southern B.C. coast over several days, noting that Metro Vancouverites might not see a dry day until Feb. 10. Daytime highs will range between 8 C and 9 C but overnight lows aren't expected to dip down lower than 7 C overnight.

But that warmer trend is expected to cool off mid-month, replaced with a colder or average signal for temperatures during the week starting on Feb. 13. 

For the remainder of the month, however, the forecast includes below-average temperatures, noted Castellan.

The first week of March -- the start of meteorological spring -- is also currently showing a cooler-than-average signal. But the meteorologist can't comment on the next season's forecast this far out. 

Looking back at the Metro Vancouver weather in January 2023

Following two cold and snowy months at the end of 2022, the first month of 2023 was mild and somewhat drier than average. 

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) received roughly 73 per cent of the monthly average of precipitation for January, despite many locals bemoaning the gloomy weather. 

The city typically sees 10.7 days with five millimetres of rainfall or more and this month there were only five days. However, there were 21 days when a slight trace of precipitation fell in the city, compared to the average of 19.5. 

"So it's not a huge departure but it is reinforcing that we had [fewer] days with enough to get wet type of rain and more days with just a trace," he said. "And therefore, it might have felt wet, which in a lot of ways, that's true, like we had an above-average number of days where it was raining.

"But again, the total was less than the average that we would normally see."

Vancouver was also 1.3 C warmer than average last month, which puts it just outside of the top 10 warmest Januarys on record at 12th.