Metro Vancouver experiences latest start to summer in nearly 40 years, according to YVR temperature records

It hasn't taken this long into the summer to get this hot in the Metro Vancouver area in four decades.

On Tuesday, July 21, temperatures at the Vancouver International Airport reached a high of 27 C.

The last time it took this long to reach at least 25 C  was in 1981, according to statistics from The Weather Network.

That year, temperatures finally hit 25.5 C on July 22.

While summer 2020 has had a late start, CBC meteorologist Johanna Wagstaffe says it's important to remember that temperatures in Metro Vancouver are still projected to rise over the next decades.

"This really is our first taste of summer and an anomaly year," she said.

It's expected that the average number of days above 25 C a year will double from 22 to 54 days by the year 2050.

Wagstaffe says things will cool off slightly Wednesday with some clouds and a westerly flow from the ocean. Skies are expected to clear up by the afternoon, with a high of up to 24 C. There is a chance of showers Thursday morning, but that is also expected to clear up.

Wagstaffe says the long range summer forecast remains sunny and seasonal. The risk of wildfires is also ramping up in B.C.'s Interior and an open fire ban will begin in coastal regions on Friday.