Wednesday is officially the first day of summer, but British Columbians could be forgiven for wondering if it really has begun.

For more than a month, the eastern halves of Canada and the United States have been basking in summer-like temperatures, but on the West Coast June has been wet and cool.

By mid-month there were roughly half the normal days of sunshine, and temperatures were averaging 0.7 C below normal, said Environment Canada.

A lifeguard takes shelter from the weather Tuesday at Kitsilano pool in Vancouver. (CBC)

While there was a break in the weather on Wednesday, there is more rain in the forecast for much of the province over the weekend, and Environment Canada meteorologist David Jones says he is not forecasting any hot spells any time soon.

"It's really discouraging for about the next nine days. Right through the end of next week I just don't see the pattern breaking," said Jones on Tuesday.

Historically, June can swing either way, says Jones. It can be beautiful and warm or horrible and frustrating like it is now.

Jones notes it was a slow start to summer last year too, but says don't despair — there's still hope the warmer weather could start in the next few weeks and extend well into September.

"The driest, sunniest, warmest period of the year is mid-July to mid-August. If you are trying to pick your holidays, those are the four weeks to pick."

But Jones says being a weatherman doesn't mean he always gets the sunniest weeks off when he books his vacation.

"In the weather office, you can imagine the fight for picking time off in the summer."