2024 was Vancouver's soggiest year this century

Vancouver lived up to its soggy reputation last year, with Environment Canada data showing 2024 was the city's wettest year so far this century.

Meteorologist Chris Doyle says more than 1,367 millimetres of precipitation was recorded at Vancouver International Airport last year.

The drenching was boosted by a series of atmospheric river events and other storms, and represents the highest annual precipitation for Vancouver since 1999, when 1,394 millimetres fell.

Doyle says a key reason for the heavy rainfall last year was an "enhanced East Asian jet stream" across the Pacific Ocean that persisted for weeks.

Vancouver averages 1,189 millimetres of precipitation each year, including both rain and snowfall converted to liquid water amounts.

Doyle says the wettest year in recent records for Vancouver was 1997, when 1,521 millimetres fell at the airport station.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 3, 2025.