High streamflow advisory issued for B.C. coast as atmospheric rivers expected
CBC
The B.C. River Forecast Centre is issuing a high streamflow advisory for much of B.C.'s coast, including the south and north coasts, north and west Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii.
The advisory means river levels are expected to rise rapidly but no major flooding is expected, though minor flooding in low-lying areas is possible.
A high streamflow advisory is the least severe of agency's three flood warning levels.
The forecast centre said a series of atmospheric rivers are expected to affect the B.C. coast this weekend and into next week.
"Prolonged periods of moderate to heavy rain are possible, along with warmer temperatures and additional runoff from rain-on-snow melt," said the forecast centre's bulletin Friday.
The heaviest period of rain for the North Coast, Haida Gwaii, Central Coast and Vancouver Island is expected from Saturday to Sunday, while on the South Coast and Lower Mainland, it's expected mid-day Sunday through Monday.
In the northern regions, peak river levels are expected on the weekend and, on the Island and the South Coast, from Sunday to Monday.
"Extra vigilance is appropriate through the weekend and into Monday, with the expectation that this weather pattern could lead to escalating flood hazard."
Emergency Info B.C. is warning residents to avoid fast-flowing rivers and potentially unstable riverbanks, according to a post on X.
Environment Canada has issued rain and wind warnings in parts of the North Coast, including Prince Rupert, and inland including Kitimat and Terrace from Friday to Saturday.
Between 50 to 100 millimetres of rain could fall, after five to 10 centimetres of snow fell inland sections of Highway 16 and 37 and near Terrace.
"An atmospheric river continues to impact the North Coast today bringing significant rainfall over a 24 to 36 hour period. Temperatures are cool enough inland that a mix of snow and rain continues early this morning before changing to rain."
Strong winds that could cause damage are expected on Haida Gwaii, the north and central coasts and North Vancouver Island's exposed coastal sections.
Winds could blow between 80 to 100 km/h, and up to 120 km/h Friday afternoon and night.
New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt says health care won’t be exempt from her efforts to cut spending — even though her health minister says big spending increases will be unavoidable in coming years.
Pierre Ny St-Amand, the man who drove a bus into a Laval daycare in 2023, killing two young children and injuring six others, has been declared a high-risk accused.
A former CTV and CBC reporter hired to serve as Manitoba’s trade envoy to the United States is taking home more than $480,000 Cdn a year in consulting fees, according to his contract with the province.
The teen who lit her classmate on fire at a Saskatoon high school returns to court on Monday to learn the judge's decision on her sentence.
On a July morning in 2024, Dwayne Cardinal was packing up his tent outside the Bissell Centre when a police cruiser pulled up and two officers got out.
The City of Revelstoke and the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District have passed motions formalizing their intention to push the provincial government to protect an old-growth forest.
The province will once again decide who will hold Niagara’s top municipal post after the sudden resignation last week of Bob Gale, but exactly when the next regional chair will be announced isn’t clear just yet.
A wind warning is in place for Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent and Sarnia-Lambton on Monday with gusts as high as 90 km/h possible, according to Environment Canada.
Just a year after the Alberta government made a big splash unveiling its new border security team to the public with an announced $29-million investment, its latest budget shows the province only spent a third of the total it earmarked for the work over its first year.
Following several fatal collisions in northern Ontario this winter, a Sudbury, Ont., resident has created a website to track incidents across the region.
A Cambridge endometriosis advocate’s petition calling for change in how the disease is treated and recognized in Canada has received sponsorship by a member of Parliament.
While it may be expected to see crowded bars on a Friday or Saturday night, one Charlottetown pub is drawing in customers at a different time of day.
AI-generated Indigenous language dictionaries, elders’ teachings and history circulating online could be harming culture and language revitalization efforts, say experts.