It wasn’t your typical stormy November in the Chemainus Valley, marked by heavy rains and high winds. In fact, it was rather pleasant overall.
“November 2023 stands out as a month that was unusually sunny and dry for late fall,” noted Chris Carss, who compiles weather statistics for Environment and Climate Change Canada from his Chemainus home. “The total rainfall was only a little over half the normal value and the sun was seen rather a lot. The temperatures were much closer to normal except for the last few days that brought cooler conditions.”
A summary of the month is as follows: from Nov. 1-14, it was mostly cloudy with intermittent rain, occasional fog and near-normal temperatures; Nov. 15-18 became mostly sunny with near-normal temperatures continuing; Nov. 19-21 saw variable cloud with occasional light rain and little temperature change; Nov. 22-25 returned to mostly sunny with temperatures gradually cooling to below-normal values; Nov. 26-29 brought a mix of sun and cloud with occasional fog and continuing below-normal temperatures; and Nov. 30 had continuing below-normal temperatures and cloudy skies with rain that began in the afternoon.
Following are Carss’ detailed statistics:
Temperature
Mean maximum 9.4 C, normal 9.1 C.
Mean minimum 4.4 C, normal 4.2 C.
Extreme maximum 17 C on Nov. 2.
Extreme minimum 0.5 C on Nov. 24, 25 and 26.
Precipitation
Total days with precipitation (including mixed weather days) 16, normal 19.
Total accumulated rainfall 133.1 mm, normal 209.4 mm.
Total accumulated snowfall 0 cm; normal 7.8 cm.
Total accumulated precipitation 133.1 mm. normal 217.2 mm.
Other Statistics
Days mostly or partly sunny and dry 11, normal 7.
Days with mixed weather 6.
Total days mostly or partly sunny (including mixed weather days) 17.
On Thetis Island, Keith Rush recorded 114.6 mm of precipitation at his Foster Point Road residence, just slightly more than last year’s 110.7 mm during November. The average November on Thetis yields 175.3 mm.
It’s dipped to as low as 56.9 mm in November of 2019 to a whopping 376.3 mm during 2021’s atmospheric river deluge.
December got off to a wet start.
“Rain can be expected about two out of every three days with only occasional sunny breaks on the days that don’t see any rain,” Carss indicated. “There may be a brief cold snap and some wet snow around the middle of December but it won’t likely last long enough to bring any kind of a white Christmas.”
