Storm passes but leaves flooded roads and avalanche danger behind in B.C.
Heavy snow creates 'high' possibility of slides on South Coast, extreme danger in Rockies
Rainfall, wind, snow and winter storm warnings have been lifted for all of southern B.C. after a powerful system swept across the province leaving flooded or snow-clogged roads in its wake.
Torrential downpours forced flood watches or high streamflow advisories for several waterways on Vancouver Island on Thursday. The deluge also prompted a boil water advisory for all users of the Comox Valley water system, including residents of Courtenay and Comox.
Flooding at the work site in Squamish BC after heavy rain pic taken by Justin Moser <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bcstorm?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#bcstorm</a> <a href="https://t.co/RlxyO49BwZ">pic.twitter.com/RlxyO49BwZ</a>
—@HouckisPokiseSevere rainfall caused turbidity levels at a back-up pump station to rise above acceptable thresholds, triggering the need for the boil water notice, the Comox Valley Regional District said in a news release.
Environment Canada says the two-day storm dropped as much as 100 millimetres of rain on Port Alberni and parts of eastern Vancouver Island — equivalent to an entire month of rainfall — while more than 50 millimetres fell Thursday at Vancouver International Airport.
About 90-120mm of rain in 24 hrs in the upper <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CampbellRiver?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CampbellRiver</a> watershed. About 860 m3/s (enough to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool in ~3.4 sec) is entering the system.<br><br>We are increasing the spill down Elk Falls to 110 m3/s, for a total d/s river flow of 235 m3/s. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BCStorm?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BCStorm</a> <a href="https://t.co/kFML9lCKnz">pic.twitter.com/kFML9lCKnz</a>
—@SWatson_BCHIn the mountains, Avalanche Canada says heavy snow has created a "high'' possibility of slides in the mountains of the South Coast and Vancouver Island, as well as through most of east central and southeastern B.C., meaning very dangerous avalanche conditions exist.
An "extreme'' avalanche ranking, which means natural and human-triggered avalanches are certain, remains posted for some regions along the Alberta/B.C. boundary, throughout Jasper National Park and in the alpine and treeline regions of Banff, Yoho and Kootenay national parks.
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Avalanche?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Avalanche</a> control debris cleanups this afternoon at Silver Creek Bluffs and Albert Canyon <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BCHwy1?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BCHwy1</a> east of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Revelstoke?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Revelstoke</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BCStorm?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BCStorm</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Area12?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Area12</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CAT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CAT</a> <a href="https://t.co/5DBRo9keYu">pic.twitter.com/5DBRo9keYu</a>
—@EmconD