Power restored for thousands on Boxing Day after storms hit southwest B.C.
Wind and rainfall warnings have now been lifted for South Coast regions
Environment Canada lifted all heavy rainfall and strong wind warnings for B.C. on Boxing Day, after storms wreaked havoc, leaving thousands of people without power on Christmas.
A storm system brought wind gusts of up to 160 km/h in exposed sections of the B.C. coast, leading to widespread ferry cancellations between Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island and in straits and inlets in southwest B.C.
At one point on Christmas Day, more than 8,000 B.C. Hydro customers were without power, as around 100 mm of rain struck parts of Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland.
With wind in the forecast, here’s some important information to remember in the event of a power outage: <a href="https://t.co/zXpNCJil8V">https://t.co/zXpNCJil8V</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BCStorm?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BCStorm</a><br><br>📱 Report outages online: <a href="https://t.co/6m5wTPzZaG">https://t.co/6m5wTPzZaG</a> <br>☎️ Report fallen power lines: 911<br>📱 Outage updates: <a href="https://t.co/QAF7impkuY">https://t.co/QAF7impkuY</a> <a href="https://t.co/wYcFMWUQLa">pic.twitter.com/wYcFMWUQLa</a>
—@bchydroThe utility said around 400 customers on Quadra, Cortes and Denman islands were without power overnight, as ferry cancellations meant crews could not reach their communities in time to repair downed power lines.
While some early-morning ferries on Dec. 26 were cancelled between Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island, others were proceeding as scheduled.
As of 7:30 a.m. PT on Boxing Day, around 6,200 B.C. Hydro customers were without power in the province, but most have now had it restored.
The low-pressure system that brought rain and wind warnings on Boxing Day is the third in a series of storms to hit the South Coast this week.
The strongest wind gust measuring up to 162 km/h was recorded on Sartine Island on Wednesday afternoon. The island is about 480 km northwest of Victoria.
Meanwhile, snowfall warnings remain in place on the Coquihalla Highway (Highway 5) between Hope and Merritt, with around 30 cm of snowfall forecast for Highway 3 between Paulson Summit and Kootenay Pass in the southern Interior.
Officials advised residents to check road conditions and give themselves extra commuting time this week, as well as to check up on emergency resources to ensure they're prepared.