Storm-related flood warnings and fog advisories are in effect across much of B.C. on Friday, including parts of Vancouver Island and the Interior.
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A series of storms moving through British Columbia has brought flood watches and warnings and rainfall warnings across the province, with Environment Canada advising that conditions remain hazardous into the weekend.
On Friday morning, the entire South Coast, including Vancouver Island, was under a flood watch or warning, particularly along the North Shore–Sea-to-Sky and Lower Fraser regions and in the Kingcome River area on the Central Coast after a long period of heavy rain earlier this week. B.C.’s River Forecast Centre said water levels in those areas have or will exceed river banks and cause flooding.
In the Pemberton Valley, residents were advised to evacuate or shelter in place depending on where they are. The Lil̓wat Nation said on Thursday that sections of Lillooet Lake Road had six inches to one foot of water flowing over it.
Rainfall warnings remained in effect for much of Vancouver Island on Friday. Environment Canada forecasts 50 to 100 millimetres for the north, west and inland areas of the island, with some local areas possibly seeing up to 120 millimetres. Areas including Gold River, Tahsis and Zeballos—last week’s evacuation area due to a landslide—were expected to receive the most rain.
Environment Canada said the downpour was expected to ease Friday afternoon, but warned more rain is expected later this weekend.
In the Interior, fog advisories were issued for the Cariboo, East Kootenay, Prince George, Similkameen and South Okanagan regions on Friday. Environment Canada said dense fog is producing “near-zero visibility” in some areas and warned that travel in dense fog can become hazardous, with the fog expected to lift late Friday morning.
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