Heavy rain and winds knock out power across British Columbia

Strong winds and heavy storms across British Columbia left tens of thousands of people without power Saturday as crews worked to restore service.

Power outages

BC Hydro said about 80,000 customers were without electricity at the peak of Friday's storm, where high winds knocked down trees and branches, leading to widespread power outages across the province.

About 40,000 customers were still without power as of Saturday morning, and the provincial Crown corporation said Prince George in northern B.C., as well as Port Hardy, Courtenay and Qualicum on Vancouver Island are among the hardest hit areas.

Weather warnings

Parts of Vancouver Island have seen up to 210 millimetres of rain since Thursday in the first major weather system of British Columbia's storm season, which could combine with high tides to soak some low-lying coastal areas.

B.C.'s River Forecast Centre said the rainfall is part of a series of atmospheric river systems expected to drench coastal areas in the coming days. It said waterways are rising rapidly, with flows in parts of northern and western Vancouver Island reaching two- to five-year return levels on Friday.

High streamflow advisories cover most of the island as well as the south and central coasts, including the Sea to Sky region and the lower Fraser River basin.

A wind warning is in effect for parts of Metro Vancouver, with strong winds gusting up to 90 km/h developing early Saturday evening and lasting until Sunday.

Environment Canada issued a coastal flooding statement for much of Vancouver Island's west coast, saying elevated ocean levels combined with strong winds and waves could push waters above the highest astronomical tides. It said minor flooding along low-lying shorelines is likely this weekend.

More storms ahead

The river forecast centre said a second bout of rain will arrive later Saturday, stretching into Sunday, with the heaviest downpours expected on Vancouver Island and in the Sea to Sky and Howe Sound areas, along with the North Shore mountains.

A third storm expected to hit Monday may bring a more prolonged period of rainfall across B.C.'s coast through next week, the forecaster said.

BC Hydro said its meteorologists are closely monitoring more weather systems expected to impact the coast and other regions of the province between now and mid-week.

Whitney Deane, a spokeswoman with BC Hydro, said Friday's storm caused significant damage, and customers are encouraged to be prepared. "Additional weather systems are expected through mid-week, and some of the winds could be more impactful than what we’ve seen so far," said Deane.

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Sources

• thestar.com: Heavy rain and winds knock out power across B.C., with more storms ahead
• castanet.net: Heavy rain and winds knock out power across B.C., with more storms ahead - Castanet.net

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