Atmospheric River Brings Rain, Winds to BC Coasts

An atmospheric river is poised to drench British Columbia's South Coast this weekend, while the province's North Coast grapples with ongoing heavy rain, high winds and snow from an early wave of the same weather system, Environment Canada has warned.

The federal weather agency issued a rainfall warning Saturday for Metro Vancouver and surrounding areas, including Surrey, Langley, Burnaby, New Westminster, the Tri-Cities, Maple Ridge, the North Shore and Howe Sound. Forecasters expect 75 to 125 millimetres of rain from Saturday through Monday, with the heaviest downpours arriving Sunday and tapering off by Monday night. Amounts could exceed that total in the North Shore Mountains. Officials cautioned that the deluge may cause water to pool on roads and in low-lying areas, leading to travel delays. Landslides pose a risk in vulnerable spots, such as steep slopes, deforested land or areas scarred by recent wildfires.

Meanwhile, the North Coast is already feeling the effects of the atmospheric river, which began impacting the region earlier this week. Up to 100 millimetres of rain is forecast for communities like Prince Rupert, Terrace and Kitimat through Saturday morning, following...