By Canadian Press

Wild Christmas forecast for B.C. as dozens of wind and rain warnings are issued

Dec 24, 2024 | 3:44 PM

VANCOUVER — Environment Canada has issued dozens of wind and heavy rain warnings for British Columbia’s south coast on Christmas Day, as the region braces for the second in a series of festive week storms.

The agency says up to 100 millimetres of rain could drench Metro Vancouver and other areas, while winds up to 100 km/h could hit Victoria and elsewhere on Vancouver Island.

Environment Canada says the wild weather is expected to start around midday Wednesday on the south coast lasting through to Boxing Day, with heavy rain potentially bringing localized flooding, travel disruptions and power cuts.

BC Ferries is warning that multiple routes may be affected by high winds forecast for the Strait of Georgia and north Vancouver Island.

The 24 wind and rain warnings in British Columbia cover most of the south coast and Vancouver Island, stretching inland to parts of the southern Interior.

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The warnings come after the first of three storms moved inland on Tuesday, after bringing powerful winds that downed trees, cut power and blocked roads in some coastal areas.

It arrived late Monday, with hurricane-force gusts up to 165 km/h recorded on the west coast of the island overnight, before the weather system moved out of the region later Tuesday morning.

The strongest winds were recorded before dawn Tuesday at remote Sartine Island, but gusts above 100 km/h were also recorded at several other locations off Vancouver Island’s west coast.

BC Hydro said fallen trees caused outages on Vancouver Island, while Drive BC said the Sunshine Coast Highway was temporarily blocked by fallen power lines about 40 km west of Sechelt.

Elsewhere on the Sunshine Coast, fallen trees and downed Hydro lines partially cut Hanbury Road near Roberts Creek.

The third weather system is a low-pressure system that Environment Canada says will approach southern Vancouver Island early Thursday, although there’s uncertainty about its path.

The agency says an anticipated southern track would confine the strongest winds and heavy rain to the south coast.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 24, 2024.

The Canadian Press