Rainfall warning for east Vancouver Island, Nanaimo to Comox

Environment Canada has issued rainfall warnings for east Vancouver Island, from Duncan to Nanaimo and from Courtenay to Campbell River, with a further 15 to 25 millimetres of rain possible Thursday evening.

The weather agency said periods of heavy rain are expected to continue into the evening. The extra rain is forecast near Courtenay and Comox and near Nanaimo before it tapers off late in the evening.

An area of low pressure lingering offshore is rotating bands of heavy rain into eastern Vancouver Island, Environment Canada said. Significant amounts of rain had already fallen across the area during the day.

Water will likely pool on roads and in low-lying areas, and visibility will at times be suddenly reduced, the agency said. Drivers should slow down, leave extra room and avoid flooded stretches of road.

Environment Canada asked residents to continue to monitor its alerts and forecasts. Severe weather can be reported to [email protected] or on social media with the hashtag #BCStorm. Current warnings are posted on the Environment Canada website.

Elsewhere in the province, Environment Canada’s Vancouver forecast calls for a few showers ending after midnight, with a high near 9 C on Friday.

Earlier this week, snow squalls hit B.C. Interior highways, and snow has also fallen in Alberta, including the Crowsnest Pass snowfall warning.

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