Victoria Weather

A chance comment in an article by Ted Ross in the James Bay Beacon November 26 2019 piqued my interest and has led to some interesting discoveries.

The article was about the history of Pinehurst, a distinctive house built in 1889 about 200 metres from the ocean, near Dallas Road in Victoria. Originally the house was built for, and occupied by, William and Harriet Macauley; Macauley had become wealthy from timber, and owned a large mill in Chemainus.

Pinehurst as it looked in 1903; by this time it was now the Milne residence. (Source: City of Victoria archives, published in James Bay Beacon, https://www.jamesbaybeacon.com/home/2019/11/26/then-and-now-618-dallas-road-617-battery-street-pinehurst)

Pinehurst as it looks now; it has been incorporated into a Capital Regional District subsidized housing development.

The turret on Pinehurst is 84 feet tall (source: CRD)

According to Ross in his article, only three years after they moved in to their new house, the Macauleys "tired of living so near the ocean", and moved to another mansion further inland.

Those few words intrigued me. Doesn't everyone want to live by the ocean? Isn't that why ocean view properties are so in demand? How could anyone tire of the ocean?

I began to think about how our opinions might change over time of what constitutes "fashionable" housing. But then I also started thinking about micro-climates. Perhaps the Macauleys wanted to garden, or to grow their own vegetables, and the salty air was too much for successful growing. Now that I live close to the ocean -- about the same distance, 220 metres, as the Macauleys -- I have learned to appreciate its influence. Salt spray, driven by ocean wind, has splattered the newly installed windows of our fourth floor apartment in only two months.

Salt spray spatter on the fourth floor window of our apartment

The power of the ocean is evident in the aftermath of recent storms. Ocean debris was scattered onto Dallas Road near the Ogden Point breakwater after one recent storm with big winds. The road is at least 40 feet above the sea!

And then there is the cooling effect of the ocean. Perhaps the Macauleys just found it too windy and cool in their house along Dallas Road. I googled the question "differences in temperature in Victoria between James Bay and inland" and discovered the site http://www.victoriaweather.ca/

This website provides realtime weather data for a network of weather stations throughout the Greater Victoria area, most of which are located at schools. This project was developed over a decade ago by two climatologists at the University of Victoria, in partnership with south Island school districts. One of the project founders was Andrew Weaver, who went on to become leader of the BC Green Party for several years.

The website utilizes interactive technology and provides teachers with an opportunity to use the resources as part of the K - 12 science curriculum to teach students. Ultimately, the website authors say, their goal is to engage young people in the "wonder of science". I was intrigued at both the wealth of information available to weather watchers in Victoria, and the opportunity given to children to participate in science. Additionally, the network of weather stations is building a data record which will be a useful contribution to the monitoring of climate change.

Maps from the website show the dramatic range of micro-climates in Victoria and the Saanich peninsula.

Here is a map from a day in July last summer; I added some labels for place names to help readers orient themselves. This map led to a lot of discussion on a Reddit thread (https://www.reddit.com/r/VictoriaBC/comments/ci8hcf/victoria_microclimates_july_26_about_2_pm_151_c/.)

The orange diamonds are data collection points, where weather stations are located. The dark blue strip along the ocean on the right side includes Dallas Road where the Macauley's house is located in James Bay, as well as Beacon Hill Park and Fairfield, east to the Victoria Golf Club.

On this hot day in July the temperature was between 28 and 30 degrees Celsius in Brentwood Bay, and only 15 degrees Celsius along Dallas Road! Comments on the Reddit thread confirmed that the onshore breeze from the ocean along Dallas Road can sometimes lead to a temperature drop, so that afternoon temperatures on a summer day can actually be cooler than in the morning.

To live beside the ocean, and relish it, requires an appreciation of wind. I am learning that if I dress for it, I can enjoy the invigorating, oxygenating sea breeze. And I love the kelpy fragrance that wafts on those breezes!

The moderating effect of the ocean also works the other way. I downloaded the current temperatures as of when I am writing this, about 8:30 pm on April 4. In this case, the weather stations in James Bay and Fairfield measured warmer temperatures than the inland sites. The moderating effect of the ocean means less cooling at night, as well as less warming during the day.



I am fascinated by the range of temperatures demonstrated in this relatively small  - but obviously complex - area. Temperature, along with other factors such as precipitation and topography, explain the diversity of tree species I am finding here - from the dry Garry Oak meadows of Beacon Hill Park, to the rainforest of Goldstream Park, only fifteen kilometres away.

Remnant Garry Oak meadow at Beacon Hill Park. This ecosystem is unique to southern Vancouver Island, and contains some of Canada's most endangered habitats and species.

Fawn lilies in bloom right now at Beacon Hill Park. These plants are part of the Garry Oak ecosystem.

Moss hanging from conifer branches at Goldstream Park

Here is another image from the internet that captures the rainforest quality of Goldstream Park.

Goldstream Park, spring. Source: https://flic.kr/p/25FZtga (Darryl Propp, photographer)

I am looking forward to exploring the diversity of microclimates that contribute to the abundant - and distinct - vegetation communities of southern Vancouver Island.