Kamloops basked in record-shattering warmth as dozens of temperature records fell across southern British Columbia, thanks to a surge of mild Pacific air sweeping into the region.

Environment Canada says 28 daily temperature records were broken on December 15, many of them surpassing marks that had stood for decades. Several of the old records had last been challenged during a warm spell on the same date in 1962.

In Kamloops, the warmth was especially remarkable.

“We had a Pineapple Express that was impacting the B.C. south coast, and that brought in some very mild air,” said Global BC Chief Meteorologist Mark Madryga. “And we had a lot of sunshine in the southern interior, which helped to boost our temperatures.”

Madryga says the combination pushed Kamloops well beyond anything previously recorded for mid-December. The old maximum temperature record for December in Kamloops was 16 degrees Celsius, set in 1958. On Monday, the thermometer at the Kamloops Airport climbed to 18.6 degrees.

“So, we shattered the old record by a wide margin,” Madryga said. “And that was the warmest temperature in all of Canada yesterday.”

The unusual warmth was felt across much of southern B.C. In Revelstoke, temperatures reached 8.2 degrees Celsius, breaking the previous record of 6.7 degrees set more than a century ago in 1917. Pitt Meadows also saw significant warmth, climbing to nearly two degrees above its old record of 13.3 degrees, which had stood since 1939.

Environment Canada says while warm December days are not unheard of, the scale of the records being broken highlights just how strong the system was. The Pineapple Express — a plume of warm, moisture-rich air originating near Hawaii — is more commonly associated with heavy rain and flooding concerns on the coast, but in this case also delivered near spring-like conditions inland.

Forecasters say temperatures are expected to cool closer to seasonal norms later this week, but the December 15 records — particularly in Kamloops — are likely to stand for some time.