Atmospheric river brings more rain, wind to B.C.’s South Coast

There’s heavy rain in the forecast for the coming days, as an atmospheric river makes its way through B.C.’s South Coast and Vancouver Island.

CityNews meteorologists Michael Kuss and Carl Lam say this system is going to make for a wet and windy few days, with up to 60 millimetres of rain expected in parts of the Lower Mainland.

“It’s a wet run of weather — an atmospheric river pumping across the South Coast. It starts today … but really picks up tomorrow and tapers heading into Thursday,” said Kuss Tuesday.

“Lower rainfall totals are for areas like Delta, Richmond, over toward even downtown (Vancouver). And as you head further northeast and north, that’s where you’re going to get into some higher rainfall totals approaching that 50 millimetre mark or more,” Lam added.

Lam notes while the rainfall totals are “a pretty manageable number” for the Metro Vancouver region, it’s the winds that are going to “make things just kind of raw and uncomfortable throughout the day on Wednesday, especially.”

“You’ll really need all the rain gear to keep you dry, especially when it is raining sideways. But that is going to be the trend throughout our Wednesday as the winds will be quite noticeable across Metro Vancouver,” Lam explained.

Vancouver Island is expected to get more rain than the mainland.

“We’re talking about 100 to 150 millimetres or more of rain from this even for today and for tomorrow,” Lam said Tuesday.

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