Daily temperature records set in B.C. as mercury reaches high teens [Video]

It was a record-setting Friday for several B.C. communities, courtesy of a ridge of high pressure that pushed temperatures into the high teens.

In all, 10 areas set new daily highs for March 15, with Squamish being the hottest at 19.5 C. The town’s former record for March 15 was 17.0 C, which was set in 1988.

More records could fall this weekend, as Environment Canada is calling for sustained warm temperatures.

Squamish, for example, is projected to see highs of 22 C for Saturday and Sunday.

At noon, it was 17.9 C in Cultus Lake, near Chilliwack, which was the nation’s hot spot at the time. Conversely, the nation’s cold spot was Eureka, a research base on Ellesmere Island in Nunavut, at -40.9 C.

In the Okanagan, temperatures are expected to range between 17 and 20 C for the weekend.

Notably, Hope was the nation’s hot spot on Friday at 19.8 C, but that mark didn’t break the town’s record …