Welcome to the Dictionary of Island Terms. Its purpose is to pin down the patois of Vancouver Island by recording its toponyms, nicknames, phenomena, slang, personalities and places. Explore the ever-growing A-Z here.

Olympic Rain Shadow | meteorology, phenomenon | The comparatively dry and sunny strip of southeast Vancouver Island created by the weather-blocking Olympic Mountains in northwest Washington State. It is the reason why Victoria sees an average of just 58.3 cm of rain per year and Vancouver is soaked with 146 cm. Note: poor Tofino endures 327 cm!

Usage: “One of the big misconceptions about Southwestern BC is that it’s always wet. It really depends are where you are in relation to the Olympic Rain Shadow.”