Metro Vancouverites hoping for a break in the dismal weather after a drenched end to the weekend shouldn't hold their breath.
Environment Canada meteorologist Bobby Sekhon says a respite from the showery trend may emerge mid-week, but Monday (April 7) and Tuesday look predominantly wet.
Following a string of sunny days and increasing daytime highs several degrees above seasonal averages, Sunday saw significant rainfall across the Lower Mainland, although amounts varied. For example, Burnaby Mountain received 43 mm of precipitation, Coquitlam had 48 mm, and West Vancouver recorded 47 mm in a roughly 36-hour period. However, other areas, such as Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and Burns Bog in Delta, received 48 mm and 26 mm, respectively.
Monday started showery, and a risk of thunderstorms is expected to develop in the afternoon. Modest precipitation amounts of 5 to 10 mm are expected during the day.
"We are under a bit of a trough pattern, which generally creates an unstable atmosphere," Sekhon tells V.I.A., noting that the cold air is moving aloft a warmer surface.
"Thunderstorms are really hard to nail down for timing. As the sun goes away, we will have more stable conditions overnight."
Some disturbances in the atmosphere are also triggering intermittent showers, but they aren't characterized as organized rainstorms or systems. Therefore, they are more difficult to predict.
Metro Vancouver 7-day weather forecast includes heavier showers, wind
On Tuesday, a more organized upper trough moving into the region will produce more widespread rain with some heavier showers. Winds of 30 km/h gusting to 50 km/h are also expected.
Wednesday's forecast looks like it may offer a "break in the action," with a mix of sun and cloud and temperatures rising a couple of degrees above seasonal during the day at YVR (14 C).
"You could call it a 'mini' ridge of high pressure that will bring us drier weather hopefully, and then another trough is moving in with some uncertainty," he describes.
After some possible heavier rain on Thursday, Friday's forecast indicates a drier trend.
"We could be heading towards a drier trend, but we do see clouds, so there's still a chance that some showers will develop," he cautions.
"It's classic spring weather. You can get any type of weather, winter weather, summer weather... everything is on the table."
