Heavy rain, flood risk in Lower Mainland prompts advisories

Some areas of the Fraser Valley, which is still recovering from devastating floods, and Vancouver Island are at risk of “minor to significant flooding” from Tuesday to Thursday, according to the River Forecast Centre (RFC).

Another atmospheric river is on the way for B.C. As temperatures warm-up and rain continues to fall, there is the risk of massive snow melts, sending enormous amounts of water into local rivers and streams.

The RFC says in a high streamflow advisory a “significant weather pattern change will occur this week” and that will cause rapid rises in creeks and rivers, especially at low and mid-elevation watersheds on the coast.

The advisory is in place for the Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Howe Sound, Sunshine Coast, Sea to Sky, and North Shore Mountains regions. It’s also in place for Vancouver Island south, west, east, centre, and north.

“The upcoming temperatures are not forecast to be as warm as the atmospheric river events in November. It’s likely the upcoming storm systems will add to the very well-developed snowpack at the higher elevations,” the RFC said.

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With there also being an increased risk of avalanche due to warmer weather, the Ministry of Transportation is shutting down a portion of Highway 1 in the Fraser Canyon.

The route will be closed from Yale to Boston Bar as of 8 a.m. Monday. The ministry will reevaluate the closure daily.

Meanwhile, the RFC says it’s important to be careful in low and mid-elevation watersheds on the coast, and notes areas that have already been flooded are likely to be more vulnerable to erosion.

Rivers will likely begin rising Tuesday, peak Wednesday and Thursday, and then subside. However, the the forecast centre says conditions could change, adding specific details are uncertain.

“The public is advised to stay clear of the fast-flowing rivers and potentially unstable riverbanks during the high-streamflow period,” the RFC said.

A high streamflow advisory means river levels could rise rapidly, but no major flooding is expected.