The heat is on this weekend, tips to help you save money and stay cool

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – There is a chance we could break some records over the next few days as the South Coast gets set for a heatwave.

“The inland temperature today will be 32 degrees. Right on the beach it will be in the mid to upper 20s with that sea breeze and it’s all clear for today. If anything, it’s a little bit hotter for the weekend. The nights will get stuffier with overnight temperatures sitting at 17, maybe 18 degrees,” says NEWS 1130 Meteorologist Russ Lacate.

On Sunday, areas away from the water could hit 34 degrees and remember it’s going to be even hotter in the Interior where the mercury could reach 40 degrees around the Okanagan and Nicola Valley region.

The only break from the heat we’re expecting will be on Sunday night and Monday, that’s when there is a possibility of a thunderstorm or two rolling through.

You’re not the only one dealing with the heat — BC Hydro is also feeling the sizzle.  Power usage is expected to spike as people crank up air conditioning to keep cool.

“We know that as the temperatures increase we are definitely going to see an increase in overall electricity demand in the province,” says BC Hydro’s Mora Scott.

However, she says even with temperatures well into the 30s, it won’t be a huge hit to the power grid. “Unlike utilities in Ontario or California, we actually experience our peak load in the winter months when people are using more heat in their homes.”

Regardless, BC Hydro is offering up some hot weather tips to keep consumption and temperatures down in your home.

“We recommend shading windows because that can block up to 65 per cent of the heat,” adds Scott. “We also suggest using a ceiling fan, which is the most efficient option for cooling.”

Hanging your laundry to dry also keeps unnecessary heat outside of your home and can cut up to $50 a year from your electricity bill.

“Finally, we encourage our customers to take their cooking outside. The less the stove and oven are used, the less heat is generated and the lower your bill will be,” says Scott.

Meantime the early start to summer brought about an early strawberry harvest, which is proving to be a challenge at some farms.

Tom Baumann, an agriculture professor at University of the Fraser Valley, says there aren’t enough workers. “The strawberries, the raspberries and the blueberries came in at just about the same time overwhelming our processing and our packing facilities and, of course, the pickers.

Baumann adds while early harvests may result in a slightly smaller size for the individual fruits and vegetables, the flavour should actually be better.