Environment Canada is warning about a procession of storms that are expected to bring powerful winds and heavy rain to British Columbia's coast over Christmas.
A special weather statement from Environment Canada says a low pressure centre off the coast will bring strong winds this afternoon that will intensify throughout the evening.
It says winds will also increase over western and northern Vancouver Island and that western coastal areas may see flooding due to the storm surge before the system moves out of the region on Christmas Eve.
The weather office says a "powerful frontal system" will then arrive on the south coast and Vancouver Island Christmas morning, with strong winds and heavy rain expected to last late into the night.
A weaker low pressure system will approach Vancouver Island late on Thursday, before spreading strong winds across Vancouver Island and the south coast.
Environment Canada has issued a wind warning for the province's north and central coast, saying southeast winds bringing gusts up to 100 km/h will start Monday afternoon.
The B.C. coastline has been besieged by storms since October.
Earlier this month, a powerful storm triggered a mudslide that killed two people in North Vancouver and cut the Sea to Sky Highway between Vancouver and Whistler.
The Dec. 14 storm left hundreds of thousands without electricity.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 23, 2024
The Canadian Press
