Up to 150 mm of rain drenches B.C.'s South Coast during Easter weekend

B.C.'s South Coast will continue to be drenched this Easter weekend, Environment Canada says. 

A special weather statement issued Friday stated that between 30 and 150 millimetres of rain is expected between Friday and Sunday evening and, combined with melting snow, it might lead to flooding in low-lying areas. 

Wind warnings are also in effect along the Sunshine Coast and in Haida Gwaii, with a rainfall warning in place for East Vancouver Island and parts of northeast Metro Vancouver, including Howe Sound. 

Environment Canada meteorologist Johnson Zhong says two systems will move over the coast this weekend. 

The first system hit Vancouver Island on Friday evening and reached the North Shore on Saturday morning, bringing 15-35 millimetres of rain.

That was followed by an atmospheric river that settled in on Saturday evening, which could bring between 50 and 100 mm until Sunday night. 

WATCH | What is an atmospheric river? 

What is an atmospheric river?

2 years ago

Duration 1:23

It's a term that became more widely known after record-setting flooding hit B.C. in November 2021, but as meteorologist Johanna Wagstaffe explains, atmospheric rivers are not new to west coast of North America.

"The front is going to move across the South Coast, especially the Lower Mainland, on Sunday evening with a very intense precipitation," said Zhong. 

He said the freezing level will rise to around 1,500 metres, increasing snowmelt.

"The intensity of the rain is going to have an impact to create localized flooding, it's possible, mostly on Sunday afternoon or evening," said Zhong. 

Difficult road conditions

Road safety experts warn the weather could make for difficult conditions for drivers.

In an emailed news release, advocacy group Road Safety at Work says driving through any amount of water can cause drivers to lose control of a vehicle.

"Even small amounts of water on the road can cause hydroplaning," it reads. "Hydroplaning can happen at speeds as low as 60km/h."

The group advises drivers to slow down, make sure wiper blades are in good condition, and have their lights on.

Not unusual

CBC meteorologist Johanna Wagstaffe says it is not unusual to see a spring rain event like this. 

"This is the kind of event we will worry about if we see a lot of them through the spring months, but at this point it's just localized flooding that's the main concern this weekend," she said. 

Wagstaffe says some sunshine might break through by Monday afternoon.

The rainy weather forced the Vancouver Canadians to postpone the entirety of their opening weekend. While their season was set to open on Friday, a washed-out weekend meant the baseball team couldn't play any of their games.

"At the time of this release, a plan to make-up these games had not been finalized. That information will be released at a later date," reads a statement from the club released Sunday, adding that any fans with tickets for the game can potentially get into another game later in the season.

Rainy weather also forced the cancellations of some ferries on the critical Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay route, as B.C. Ferries continues to deal with one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.