Photo: Ed Burke - file photo

While temperatures have cooled slightly in the Okanagan Friday, Thursday was the hottest day of the year so far across the Thompson-Okanagan, and heat records were broken across the Interior.

Twenty communities across the province broke their June 8 temperature records on Thursday, including locally in Kelowna, Vernon, Kamloops and Princeton.

Kelowna saw its hottest temperature of the year so far, hitting a high of 35.1 C at UBC Okanagan. This is the hottest June 8 ever recorded in the city, with records dating back to 1899.

Vernon also had its hottest day of the year, hitting a new June 8 record of 35.5 C, while Kamloops saw a record high of 35.7 C.

To the south, Princeton set a new daily record of 34.4 C, beating out the previous June 8 record set in 1903.

Lytton was the hottest place in B.C. on Thursday, recording a high of 38.5 C – its hottest day of the year.

Temperatures are expected to cool down to more seasonal levels through to next week, with highs in the Okanagan forecast to stay in the mid-20s.