Abbotsford floodwaters recede, but Fraser Valley residents need to brace for another atmospheric river: Environment Canada

Residents of the Fraser Valley need to be prepared for even more rain this weekend, with another atmospheric river coming early next week, according to Brian Proctor, meteorologist for Environment and Climate Change Canada.

The weather office is also warning of an increased risk of landslides, as rainfall may destabilize slopes.

Proctor says the frontal system that is currently draped across the southern parts of B.C. is moving north, bringing more rain to areas already dealing with flooding.

Waters from the Nooksack River in Washington state, which overflowed Wednesday, continued to flow across the border Friday, but the City of Abbotsford says the waters have peaked and are gradually dropping.

The city says floodgates are open at the Barrowtown pump station, sending floodwaters out of the Sumas River and into the Fraser River.

As well, it says Highway 1 remains closed, with drivers being asked not to attempt to bypass flooded areas using side roads.

“Those are also flooded and you will get stuck trying to back out,” the city said.

“There is currently no way through Abbotsford to Chilliwack or eastern parts of the province. Monitor DriveBC for all of the latest road conditions.”

Proctor tells 1130 NewsRadio the upcoming weather system won’t be as severe as the one seen on Wednesday.

“We’ll probably see another 10 to 20 millimetres out there through the overnight tonight,” Proctor said Friday afternoon.

But there may be a bit of a break on Saturday.

“We actually may see a little bit of blue sky Saturday afternoon at this point in time,” he said.

The system will pick up again Saturday evening, continuing into Sunday, he says.

The flooding that has filled fields and closed Highway 1 and the Sumas border crossing is reminiscent of floods in 2021 that were also caused by overflows from the Nooksack River. Proctor says that while this week’s weather has hit hard, it doesn’t compare to the atmospheric river event four years ago.

“We dodged a bullet, to a large degree, with this particular event that came on Wednesday of this week,” he said.

“The majority of the strongest core of the effects of that atmospheric river were felt in Washington state. They weren’t felt in southern British Columbia to the same kind of degree.”

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He points out that while this week saw significant precipitation up in the Chilliwack Mountain area, Cultus Lake, and Hope, 2021’s event saw everything from Pemberton all the way out to the South Coast affected.

Proctor says the weekend’s rain will likely be heaviest in the eastern part of the Fraser Valley out towards Hope, with Abbotsford seeing a bit less.

He points out that the situation remains quite dangerous for those living in the area, with riverbank failures common after heavy rain such as that seen this week.

“It’s really important to listen to what the emergency measures people are telling you,” he said.

“If you’ve got an evacuation notice or alert, listen to what they are saying.”

Emergency Management Minister Kelly Greene has said about 450 properties in B.C. have been evacuated, the majority of them in Abbotsford, with 1,700 under evacuation alert.

The city says it is working on a Return Home Plan to support evacuated residents return home as soon as possible.

“Rapid Damage Assessments have started with the support of staff and Canada Task Force 1. These assessments advise whether or not the structure of a home is safe to re-enter or if additional work is required before it is safe to do so,” it said.

“Each home will have a placard on the door to advise them of their assessment results and where to call for additional support should it
be required. These are an important step in determining when evacuation orders can be lifted.”

— With files from The Canadian Press.