Metro Vancouverites may have more fog spells to contend with this week.
Environment Canada meteorologist Armel Castellan says the atmosphere has been mostly unsettled since early October, including periods of extreme weather such as the fatal atmospheric river that coincided with the provincial election on Oct. 19, the bomb cyclone in mid-November, and a procession of storms leading up to and on Christmas Day.
However, a recent respite from the stormy weather has created the ideal conditions for fog.
"We had the rain on Sunday and then the fog started forming rapidly," he tells V.I.A., noting that the period before that was marked with light showers and some dry days.
"Post a rain event we have the moisture necessary for fog and a ridge of high pressure is trapping it near the atmosphere."
Locals woke up to fog across most of the Lower Mainland on Tuesday morning, prompting the national weather agency to issue an advisory for the region. The fog cleared later in the early afternoon and the warning was lifted.
Metro Vancouver weather forecast includes the chance of more fog
Some very light showers are expected overnight Tuesday and more fog may form again Wednesday morning.
But the spooky weather is expected to dissipate midweek.
"The pattern is changing on Thursday night into Friday with a proper rain event," Castellan comments.
Another ridge of high pressure should keep temperatures cool and skies clear over the weekend, providing another opportunity for fog to form.
"That's why we issued a fog warning. The cooler temperatures combined with open skies and condensation," he notes. "We are so close to the solstice and that's why [the fog] is sticking around. There aren't enough daylight hours to burn it off."
Castellan says the ridge of high pressure will keep conditions dry over the weekend but wind can move moisture out of the region.
"If the winds are strong enough they can move the moisture and it looks like we will have a [potentially strong] northwesterly wind after Saturday," he notes.
"We'll have to see how much moisture is in the area."
Casetlllan cautions that the forecast for the lowest layer of the atmosphere (where we live) is the hardest to predict.
"We'll get a better sense on Friday of what the winds will be like," he adds, advising locals to check the forecast for updates.
Stay up-to-date with hyperlocal forecasts across 50 neighbourhoods in the Lower Mainland with V.I.A.'s Weatherhood.
