Rain, river advisories in effect as latest B.C. storm approaches

A man uses an umbrella to shield himself from the rain while walking on the Stanley Park seawall across the water from downtown Vancouver, on Saturday, October 19, 2024. (Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press)

Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued a special weather statement for Metro Vancouver, Howe Sound and parts of the Fraser Valley and Sunshine Coast as another storm approaches.

"Rain will begin Sunday afternoon and will intensify Sunday evening before easing on Monday afternoon," the advisory reads.

"Rainfall amounts of 30 to 40 millimetres are expected by Monday morning with locally higher amounts possible."

Strong winds are also in the forecast, particularly on Sunday night, ECCC said.

The storm may bring a variety of hazards, including reduced visibility, washouts near rivers, creeks and culverts, and power outages from downed trees, the weather agency added.

Sunday's storm is the latest to prompt warnings of wet, windy weather on B.C.'s South Coast this fall.

It follows a record-breaking atmospheric river that led to four deaths and caused significant damage on Oct. 19, as well as a windstorm earlier this week that left thousands without power, some for multiple days.

The B.C. River Forecast Centre said rivers on the South Coast "are expected to be at heightened vulnerability to rapid flow increases" during the upcoming storm and a second one that is in the forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday.

This vulnerability is "due to the wetter weather conditions of preceding weeks, as well as the long duration of the storms," the forecast centre said in a high streamflow advisory issued Friday.

"Although there is some divergence among weather models as to specific amounts, the models have broad agreement that precipitation totals will be moderate to heavy for each storm," the centre said.

"For the week as a whole, cumulative precipitation will likely be substantial."

However, if temperatures at higher elevations drop low enough to cause snow rather than rain, the risk to rivers on the South Coast will be reduced, the centre said.

The high streamflow advisory is in effect for rivers on the Sunshine Coast, Howe Sound, Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, as well as for northern and western Vancouver Island.