‘Bomb cyclone’ hits B.C.’s south coast, BC Hydro dealing with outages

A so-called “bomb cyclone” gained strength Sunday, bringing with it rain and wind into Monday as the storm moved over the B.C. and Washington State coasts.

The storm was already being blamed for a number of outages on the B.C. South Coast Monday.

Periods of heavy rain are expected throughout the day, and winds may hit 100 kilometres an hour in some areas, including on Vancouver Island.

“Winds are not tapering off toward noon. In fact, into the afternoon, we still could see gusts out over the water and along the coast in that 80-90 kilometre per hour range — that’s right on the coast,” said CityNews Meteorologist Michael Kuss Monday.

“Now, a good chunk of Metro Vancouver and out in the Fraser Valley we’re talking about winds just generally 30 to 50 kilometres per hour, sustained gusts pushing 70, possibly 80 kilometres per hour in some of those exposed areas closer to the water. So that’s certainly strong enough to bring some (tree) limbs down, knock out some power, and we’re already seeing that this morning,” he explained at around 5:30 a.m.

Wind Warnings for S. Coast. 50-90 km/h for E Van Island, Sunshine Coast, Richmond and S. Delta. Winds 80-100+ km/h for West Vancouver Island. Winds strong all day. @CityNewsVAN #BCStorm #wind pic.twitter.com/j9os6krTpm

— Michael Kuss (@Kusswx) October 25, 2021

“But we’re not even at the peak as far as the wind gusts are concerned. This powerful, low-pressure system, this bomb of an event, it’s still quite powerful as it tracks across through the day today. It will weaken, so winds taper off late in the day and into tomorrow.”

The storm has been building up in the Pacific Ocean for the past few days. Environment Canada issued a Special Weather Notice Saturday, warning western Lower Mainland residents of heavy rain and winds.

BC Hydro crews were already hard at work, with more than 4,000 customers experiencing outages early Monday. Previously, the utility noted its workers would be ready to jump into action in case of fallen power lines and other issues.

“Typically in storms, what ends up happening or what our crews could potentially be doing, will be taking a branch off a line, or restringing wire or conducting a full-on power pole replacement,” Kevin Aquino with BC Hydro said.

Reminder during #BCStorm and high winds: a fallen power line is an emergency – even if it's not buzzing or sparking. Knowing this could save your life. Stay back at least 10 metres, keep others away, and call 9-1-1: https://t.co/Tkvtog9olG pic.twitter.com/Fg3JPvfuV9

— BC Hydro (@bchydro) October 24, 2021

However, Aquino says it’s tough to anticipate just how much damage might be done during a big weather event like this.

“Because it’s difficult to predict how much damage a storm will cause and how long our power outage will last for, that’s why we always encourage our customers to be prepared. Customers should always have an emergency kit with supplies that can last for at least 72 hours and that includes water, non-perishable foods, a flashlight, and extra batteries,” he noted.

He says additional team members have been activated for Monday, with contractor crews and vegetation crews available if needed.

“If the lights do go out, we’re ready to respond. Our vegetation management crew is a specialized crew, and what they do is maintain vegetation that comes close, or near, to our power lines. So in the event that there is a strong gust, there is a possibility that trees or branches can come in contact with our power lines,” he explained.

Aquino says BC Hydro has more than 55 offices throughout the province.

What is a ‘bomb cyclone’?

Kuss says bomb cyclones, like the one hitting the coast, can typically be more powerful than hurricanes.

Any low-pressure system is effectively a cyclone, he explains. However, “bomb cyclones” have specific characteristics.

Low staying offshore through today. Winds ramping up Monday to potentially warning levels along Strait of Juan de Fuca & Georgia.#BCStorm @CityNewsVAN pic.twitter.com/8buXSJKJJy

— Michael Kuss (@Kusswx) October 24, 2021

“When we talk about a bomb, it’s something that’s deepening very rapidly – 24 millibars in 24 hours – and this low pressure system has such a deep and powerful core. When the low is really great, compared to high pressure, that creates strong winds because all that air has to move from one pressure area, to another,” he said.

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“And that’s what we’re looking at: A dramatic difference from this low pressure centre – almost like a hurricane – and this high pressure area that’s well off to the east, in the Prairies in fact.”

Meanwhile, on Sunday, BC Ferries pre-cancelled more than a dozen sailings for Monday morning. Major routes between the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island have been affected, however, the ferry service is warning smaller routes may also see disruptions.