The River Forecast Centre is issuing a High Streamflow Advisory for river and tributaries in the Howe Sound and the Sea to Sky Region.
Rainfall for Thursday and Friday is unlikely to cause major impacts to rivers and creeks. However, a stronger system from Saturday evening through Sunday has the potential to significantly increase flows, according to River Forecast Centre.
Temperatures may be warm enough during this storm to be a ‘rain-on-snow event’, which will add more water into rivers from snowmelt.
Rivers are expected to rise rapidly on the weekend and peak between Sunday or Monday, depending on rainfall timing and watershed size.
The forecast for the weekend on the Central Coast range from 80 to 140 mm, 100 to 200 mm for West Vancouver Island, 20 to 60 mm for East Vancouver Island, and 60 to 100 mm for the Lower Mainland. Conditions are expected to be relatively cooler and drier after the weekend storm, with freezing levels dropping to 1,000 m or lower.
The advisory is also in effect for Central Coast including Bella Coola River and tributaries, Kingcome River, Owikeno/Rivers Inlet and surrounding areas, as well as for Vancouver Island.
