Batten down the hatches: A parade of powerful storms is expected to slam into B.C.’s South Coast starting late Wednesday, unleashing heavy rains and strong winds through to Sunday.
The first two storms are forecast to pack a solid punch in both rain and wind, but it’s the third storm — the remnants of small but powerful typhoon Songda, currently barrelling across open ocean in the western Pacific — that’s expected to be the most powerful, said Environment Canada.
The third storm “packs the potential of being a historic storm,” said meteorologist Matt MacDonald. The storm is on track to brush the west side of Vancouver Island on Saturday and its force, including strong gusts forecast to be in excess of 100 km/h, will be felt across the South Coast.
“If that materializes, we could see extreme winds, similar to the ones we saw hit Stanley Park in the windstorm (in 2006),” said MacDonald.
Environment Canada issued a weather advisory early Tuesday for residents in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island, Greater Victoria, the Sunshine Coast, Southern Gulf Islands and Whistler about the approaching storms.
The region is in for a major soaking, with rainfall forecasts over the four-day period rivalling or surpassing the October average.
More than 200 millimetres of rain are expected for the west and inland areas of Vancouver Island, with as much as 300 mm in higher elevations.
Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Howe Sound and Whistler are expected to be drenched in 100 to 200 mm of rain, with up to 300 mm pounding higher terrain like the North Shore mountains and the Sea-to-Sky corridor.
(For comparison, average October rainfall at Vancouver International Airport is 121 mm, 88 mm at Victoria International Airport and 286 mm for Squamish).
“We’re in the time of year when we see these storms,” said Dave Campbell, head of the B.C. River Forecast Centre, which is keeping a close eye on weather patterns and monitoring streamflow conditions and water levels in the region.
Taken separately, none of the three storms are particularly concerning, he said. “It’s the fact there’s three in short succession.”
The prolonged rainfall could lead to localized flooding and overflowing rivers, especially in flood-prone areas. Accompanying winds of 70 to 100 km/h could also wreak potential havoc.
Last week, the first major storm of the fall knocked out power to about 100,000 homes, mostly in Metro Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast.
On Tuesday, B.C. Hydro was making preparations in advance of the approaching storm systems, reaching out to its contract crews and ensuring equipment is in place, said spokeswoman Simi Heer.
On Wednesday, it will decide whether to “pre-deploy” crews to harder-to-reach areas such as the Sunshine Coast or the Gulf Islands, where crews have to rely on ferries for access.
In Vancouver, city crews have started to clear leaves and debris from catch basins and sewer drains. The city also asked residents to do the same to reduce the risk of flooding in homes and businesses.
It also advised residents to seal any cracks or openings in walls, floors or foundations, and make sure plumbing and drainage systems are working properly.
B.C. Hydro said people should prepare for the storm by having flashlights, extra batteries and a battery-operated radio handy in case of power outages.
Environment Canada said it will issue further weather warnings as the storm approaches.
