Heavy rain, wind lash B.C. Snow for higher elevations
Meteorologist
Saturday, September 22, 2018, 1:33 PM - An early fall storm is threatening parts of British Columbia with heavy rainfall, high-elevation snow, and localized strong wind gusts. With trees still carrying their summer foliage, as well as the stress from this summer's drought conditions, we'll have the potential to see some downed limbs and power outages on this weekend as this system moves on shore.
Visit our Complete Guide to Fall 2018 for an in depth look at the Fall Forecast, tips to plan for it and a sneak peek at winter
WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS:
- Widespread rainfall expected along the B.C. coast through Saturday with high elevation snow
- In general, 40-60 mm can be expected for the Lower Mainland with 100+ mm possible for higher elevations along Vancouver Island and the coast mountains
- Monitor weather alerts in your area, here
Two strong high pressure centres flanking this system - one over the Prairies and another over the Pacific - will contribute to an enhanced pressure gradient, helping to strengthen the winds around this system.
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The low will slowly push onshore through the day on Saturday, as precipitation and gusty winds continue. Gusts could reach speeds of 50-70+ km/h at times, which should be sufficient to bring down some limbs and pose a threat for power outages.
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Lower elevations will see only rain from this system, with widespread totals in the 25-50+ mm range for Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. Some terrain-favored locations on Vancouver Island and the Mainland could see more than 100 mm of rainfall through Saturday.
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Accumulating snow will be limited to the higher elevation terrain in B.C., but as moisture from this system spreads east into Alberta, where colder air will be in place, more early season snow will be on the way for locations east of the Rockies. This includes Edmonton, which has already broken September snowfall records.
