Series of storms to hit B.C. coast Tuesday through Thursday

Environment Canada says a series of strong storms will bring prolonged heavy rain to the British Columbia coast from Tuesday through Thursday, with a yellow wind warning already in effect for Haida Gwaii and North Vancouver Island.

In a special weather statement issued at 3:53 a.m. PT Monday, the weather agency said the storms will affect the North Coast, the Central Coast, the South Coast and Vancouver Island. It said significant rainfall is expected, with the heaviest amounts on upslope terrain and at higher elevations.

Environment Canada said exact amounts and coverage are still uncertain and that rainfall warnings will be issued as the situation becomes clearer. Some areas can also expect gusty southerly winds.

The agency said the coming rain follows several low-pressure systems that have moved through the region in recent days and already dropped substantial precipitation. High rainfall rates could cause water to pool in areas with poor drainage, it said, and communities with historically low drainage capacity or recent heavy rain should be particularly vigilant.

The yellow wind warning, issued at 4:35 a.m. PT Monday, calls for southeasterly winds of 90 km/h gusting to 110 km/h. Environment Canada said the winds will ease this afternoon, return to warning levels overnight and ease somewhat Tuesday morning before another storm brings strong southeasterly winds by Tuesday afternoon.

Local utility outages are possible, and damage to roofs, fences, branches or soft shelters is possible, the agency said. It urged residents to secure loose objects and stay away from fallen power lines.

Residents are asked to clear storm drains of leaves and debris, to watch B.C. River Forecast Centre advisories and to follow DriveBC for road conditions. Severe weather can be reported to [email protected] or on social media with #BCStorm. Forecasts and alerts are posted on the Environment Canada website.

The new storms follow the wind warnings that hit Metro Vancouver and Victoria on Saturday and the rainfall warning for Metro Vancouver last week.

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