'Parade of storms' heading for B.C., including 2 more atmospheric rivers: Environment Canada
There are two more atmospheric rivers in British Columbia's forecast over the coming days, though neither is expected to be as intense as the one that triggered widespread flooding and landslides last week.
Environment and Climate Change Canada said those atmospheric rivers, expected to arrive on the South Coast on Thursday and Saturday, are part of a "parade of storms" approaching as several communities remain flooded in the province's southwest.
"We're not looking at necessarily the same copious amounts (of rain) as we saw two weekends ago, but we are looking at a very strong signal throughout the weekend, and through next week we continue to have active storms," said Armel Castellan, warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment Canada.
The first weather system is expected to deliver rain and warm tropical air Thursday, potentially resulting in snow melt at higher elevations. Castellan said upwards of 100 millimetres is expected on the North Shore Mountains, while parts of the Fraser Valley could see between 40 and 75 millimetres.
A short break is anticipated before the next atmospheric river arrives on Saturday afternoon.
Atmospheric rivers are defined as long, narrow streams of high water vapour concentrations that can deliver intense amounts of rainfall over a short period. The one that hit last week dumped a month's worth of rain onto some areas of B.C. in less than 48 hours.
This summer's intense heat waves and years of destructive wildfire seasons have increased the likelihood of landslides and flooding, Castellan added, noting that some parts of the South Coast have also seen upwards of 200 per cent of their normal rainfall this season.
"So a lot of that moisture that is coming is more immediately a runoff issue," he said.
Environment and Climate Change Canada has been working with Emergency Management B.C. for days providing the most up-to-date predictions, the meteorologist said, but it's difficult to pinpoint where natural disasters such as landslides might hit.
Speaking at a news conference on Monday morning, Deputy Premier Mike Farnworth said the government is bracing for the upcoming storms, and encouraged the public to keep abreast of weather warnings and alerts in the meantime.
There were no warnings in effect for the Lower Mainland as of early Monday afternoon.
Experts have warned that extreme weather events like the ones B.C. has experienced this year are likely to become more common – and more destructive – as global temperatures rise as a result of human-caused climate change.
"Climate change is here and I think what we saw this past weekend is obviously a result of that," Farnworth said. "We know that climate change is upon us. We know that there are more and more of these events happening."
On Saturday, officials confirmed that Environment and Climate Change Canada is working on a new ranking system to warn people about the severity of incoming atmospheric rivers.
Farnworth said the ranking, which is expected to launch in January, will allow officials to "prepare more effectively" for potential disasters.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.