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Environment Canada issues weather warnings for B.C. coast, mountain passes

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 04 Nov, 2024 10:50 AM

Environment Canada says strong winds and heavy rain are expected overnight and into Monday for British Columbia's south coast.

It says "relatively short but intense episodes of rain" are expected to begin just after midnight, with early indicators suggesting up to 100 millimetres of rain over the mountainous regions of western Vancouver Island.

The weather agency says lower amounts are expected elsewhere across the region.

It says strong southeast winds are also expected overnight before becoming "very strong west to northwest winds" on Monday.

More than 80,000 households are without power across British Columbia as strong winds batter coastal areas and a large swath of the central Interior.

The BC Hydro outage map shows about 54,000 of those customers are in the Lower Mainland, with a handful on the Sunshine Coast, while the power is out for more than 30,000 customers across Vancouver Island.

We’re aware of an outage affecting 3,027 customers in #Sechelt and Roberts Creek. Visit our mobile site for updates: https://t.co/r9BnsZte1a pic.twitter.com/neoEqcdRWP
— BC Hydro (@bchydro) November 4, 2024

Environment Canada has issued wind warnings for the island, the central coast, Metro Vancouver, the eastern Fraser Valley and parts of the central Interior.

We’re aware of an outage affecting 569 customers in #Abbotsford and #LangleyBC. Visit our mobile site for updates: https://t.co/ciwZoOEpUs pic.twitter.com/0GQM9stHIt
— BC Hydro (@bchydro) November 4, 2024

Environment Canada also issued a wind warning for exposed coastal regions of northern Vancouver Island and the Central Coast, saying winds that begin Sunday evening will get stronger overnight and possibly gust up to 110 km/h before easing in the afternoon.

Special weather statements were also issued for mountain passes in southern B.C. that are warning drivers of "gusty winds, rapidly accumulating snow and blowing snow" that may result in low visibility starting Monday.

"A strong frontal system passing through central B.C. will cause a strong frontal band to sweep through the southern part of the province," it says.

It says snow accumulations on the highest summits, including the Coquihalla and Kootenay Pass where winter storm warnings are in effect, may exceed 20 centimetres on Monday. Strong winds are expected to continue into Tuesday.

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