B.C. Ferries cancels sailings as storm brings heavy rain, high winds
High winds and heavy rain have led to ferry cancellations and power outages for thousands on Vancouver Island.
B.C. Ferries cancelled some sailings on Friday morning due to high winds and heavy rain from a storm sweeping across parts of British Columbia. The company said it would cancel additional sailings if conditions did not improve. The cancellations came as Environment Canada issued warnings for heavy rain and strong winds across large areas of the province. The weather agency said this storm is the first in a series of wet and windy systems expected.
"We are currently monitoring the weather conditions with the goal of getting you underway as soon as it’s safe to do so," B.C. Ferries said in a service notice. The company's website experienced performance issues due to increased customer traffic as people tried to check sailing information or change bookings. A spokesperson warned of intermittent outages throughout Friday, though the site was operational by about 3:30 p.m. PT as service resumed on some routes. The company directed customers to its X account for the latest updates.
Environment Canada warned that parts of Metro Vancouver, including the North Shore, Howe Sound, Coquitlam and Maple Ridge, could see up to 80 millimetres of rain. Wind warnings were also in place for southeast Metro Vancouver, including Surrey and Langley, and the southwest, including Richmond and Delta. Vancouver Island and the Central Coast were under heavy rain warnings, with up to 130 millimetres forecast for some regions and up to 175 millimetres over higher terrain. Wind warnings covered eastern Vancouver Island, Greater Victoria, the southern Gulf Islands, the Sunshine Coast, the Chilcotin and the Fraser Canyon, including Lytton. Special weather statements were issued for moderate to strong gusty winds in Prince George, the Cariboo, 100 Mile House and the South Thompson. Environment Canada said winds may ease slightly Friday afternoon before another strong push of winds between Quesnel and Prince George.
"Winds for the South Thompson region will peak Friday afternoon, with the strongest winds expected near Cache Creek. A potentially stronger storm is set to follow on Saturday evening," the weather agency said. It recommended residents secure loose objects and clear storm drains of fallen leaves, and to watch for washouts near rivers, creeks and culverts. The storm caused significant power outages, with more than 34,000 B.C. Hydro customers on Vancouver Island, primarily in the north, losing power by 6 p.m. PT on Friday. DriveBC warned drivers to watch for traffic signals that had lost power and to use the four-way stop procedure at any uncontrolled intersections.
With files from CBC News and Yahoo News