An early season hot spell that has brought temperatures approaching 40 C to parts of southern British Columbia, breaking more than a dozen daily heat records, won't be lifting until at least Tuesday.

Temperatures peaked at 39.3 C in Lytton, B.C., on Sunday, making it the hottest spot in the country and breaking a daily record set two years ago.

Also among the 15 daily records set Sunday were temperatures of 31.7 C in Nanaimo and 32.3 C in Pitt Meadows, both breaking high marks set in 1903.

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