B.C.’s River Forecast Centre says a series of storms is on its way, and as a result it has issued a high streamflow advisory for Vancouver Island, while Environment Canada is issuing rainfall warnings.
Environment Canada issued yellow rainfall warnings for inland and west Vancouver Island.
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West Vancouver Island is expected to get 100 mm of rain on Wednesday and Thursday, particularly over Tofino, Ucluelet, Bamfield, and along Highway 4.
Additionally, the area will get “very strong” southeast winds gusting to 90 kilometres per hour.
The heaviest rainfall will occur on Wednesday afternoon and overnight, then will ease for periods of light rain on Thursday.
“Landslides may occur in vulnerable areas such as steep slopes, deforested areas or recent burn scars,” the alert from Environment Canada said.
“Watch for washouts near rivers, creeks and culverts.”
Inland Vancouver Island is forecast to get up to 50 mm of rain due to a warm front bringing moist, subtropical air on Wednesday and overnight.
The heavy rain will ease on Thursday morning.
“Water will likely pool on roads and in low-lying areas,” Environment Canada says in the notice. “Visibility will likely be suddenly reduced at times.”
As a result of the rain, the River Forecast Centre has issued a high streamflow advisory for Vancouver Island, Haida Gwaii and the South Coast.
The highest rainfall is expected over west Vancouver Island and higher terrain over Howe Sound and the North Shore Mountains.
“Localized high flows are expected due to heavy rainfall rates and rain-on-snow melt runoff
throughout the coastal region,” the River Forecast Centre said in a notice.
“High flows are expected in episodes throughout Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with the potential for both periods of increasing and decreasing flows throughout the period.”
Peak flows are expected later in lake-fed river systems, like the Cowichan River and Somass River. This is expected on Friday into Saturday.