Heavy rain, potential floods as latest atmospheric river sweeps over B.C.

VANCOUVER - The newest atmospheric rivers to clean over British Columbia’s south coast had been predicted to carry as much as 15 centimetres of rain in a collection of waves that received’t relent till Thursday, Setting Canada mentioned Tuesday.

Rainfall warnings coated western Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast and southern coast, together with Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. The storm’s first torrent on Tuesday was forecast to be adopted by a second intense gush Wednesday and a closing blast Thursday, mentioned the climate workplace.

Forecasters warned hotter temperatures coming with the storm would push freezing ranges greater by Wednesday, melting snowpacks and swelling space waterways.

Meteorologist Bobby Sekhon mentioned whereas that is the newest storm to hit the weather-battered area over the previous six months, he wouldn’t describe it as “excessive.”

“It’s all concerning the mixture of issues. What we’re coping with right here is we had a really snowy and chilly stretch for the final three or 4 weeks … and the priority, as at all times, is as we get heavy rain and melting temperatures, that may create a recipe for flooding,” Sekhon mentioned.

Sekhon mentioned Setting and Local weather Change Canada is constant to work on a rating system for atmospheric rivers.

Emergency Administration BC urged owners to organize for potential floods by clearing storm drains, cleansing gutters and confirming the place sandbags may be picked up from native governments.

The River Forecast Centre posted excessive streamflow advisories for rivers and creeks throughout all of Vancouver Island and the south coast.

Avalanche Canada raised the chance of a slide on Vancouver Island, the south coast and Sea-to-Sky mountains to excessive, which means very harmful avalanche situations exist.

“Wait out this storm,” mentioned a put up on the Avalanche Canada web site, advising that journey on southern coastal mountains was not really helpful till situations enhance.

“Count on free, moist avalanches to be widespread in any respect elevations, and simply triggered,” the location mentioned.

Though Abbotsford, which skilled catastrophic flooding in November, was coated by rain warnings linked to the storm, forecasts confirmed the area would seemingly dodge the worst of the downpours.

Setting Canada mentioned that a part of the Fraser Valley might see not more than 10 mm of rain Tuesday, as much as 40 mm in a single day and a most of 20 mm Wednesday.

The town stays below a state of emergency, which was declared as rivers rose in November, flooding the Sumas Prairie.

Abbotsford issued a warning to residents in low-lying areas to organize for the potential of localized flooding.

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Jan. 11, 2022.