West Vancouver Flooding

Thousands of homes and businesses in West Vancouver are flooded today, affecting residents and visitors to the region. Environment Canada has issued a rainfall warning, urging residents to protect their properties from flooding. Many areas in the region are closed off, and Red Cross Canada has pledged funds for emergency relief.

Environment Canada rainfall warnings

During the summer and fall, the South Coast and Vancouver Island are prone to stormy weather. This weekend is no different. In fact, the region could possibly beat the rainfall record of 1999.

Environment Canada issued rain warnings for west Vancouver Island, Greater Victoria and East Vancouver Island, while a wind warning was issued for the coastal regions near Boundary Bay and Zeballos. The agency said there is also a risk of localized flooding as heavy downpours will combine with strong winds.

The rain and wind will continue through Sunday night. Metro Vancouver is expected to see a 40 per cent chance of showers overnight. During the day, temperatures will reach a high of 8 deg C.

A band of heavy precipitation will move across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley on Thursday. It will then taper off early Thursday evening. The region will receive up to 80 millimetres of rain. Depending on how quickly the front passes, the city may experience localized flooding.

The next weather system is expected to arrive later this afternoon. The province is under a special weather statement, affecting communities from Courtenay to Campbell River. The heaviest rainfall will fall in the Port Alice area. However, the forecast says this will not be as intense as last fall.

Meteorologist Bobby Sekhon is advising residents to prepare for the worst of the rain. He recommends using rain boots if you live in the south coast area. He also advises motorists to drive with care.

The region is also under a special weather statement for the southern Gulf Islands and inland regions. The heaviest rainfall is expected in the areas near mountains.

Highway closures

Several Vancouver highways have closed due to heavy rain and flooding in the region. The Trans-Canada highway has been closed in two areas. And the Coquihalla Highway is now closed.

A statement from Environment Canada warns of potential flooding and snow melt. It also says a special weather statement has been issued for the coming storm.

Several areas on the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island are expected to receive 100 mm of rain through Monday afternoon. And, there will be heavy rain in the Howe Sound area on Tuesday. In addition, there are also rainfall warnings in the Fraser Valley, the Sunshine Coast, and in the metro Vancouver region.

One man is still missing following a mudslide that occurred in the area of Lillooet. And, there have been reports of people stranded on highways in the region.

A press conference has been scheduled for 3:30 p.m. today, and the RCMP are investigating a report of a woman whose home was washed away. The government has not yet provided a timeframe for when the roadways will reopen.

In the meantime, the District of West Vancouver has announced several upcoming projects that will have an impact on the area. A few of these projects include the installation of Rogers Communications fibre.

The District of West Vancouver is also posting construction signs and major event road closures. It’s important to follow the construction signage and avoid the roads when possible.

Earlier this week, the District of West Vancouver posted a link to a page that lists information about highway travel disruptions in emergencies. The page will be updated as new information becomes available. This information will include information about which highways are closed in emergencies, how long these routes are expected to stay closed, and what to do if you need to travel during an emergency.

Landslides

Thousands of people were forced to evacuate their homes following an unusual storm and landslides. A massive storm hit the Pacific Northwest and caused mudslides, flooding, and road closures. A state of emergency was declared in British Columbia. This will ensure that essential goods reach communities.

The weather system was driven by an “atmospheric river”, a band of warm, moisture-laden air that transports water from the tropics to the poles. It flowed across the southwest corner of the province, bringing near record rainfall to B.C. This flood was also responsible for the evacuation of hundreds of residents of Sumas, Washington.

Heavy rainfall overwhelmed many rivers, causing them to overflow their banks and choke nearby water systems. Floodwaters shut down sewage treatment plants and blocked transportation. This was one of the largest weather events in Canada in over half a century.

The first of the two massive storms hit western Washington and British Columbia over the weekend. The resulting landslides cut off highways and rail links connecting Vancouver to the rest of the country. This forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes and businesses.

The second storm brought torrential rains to the province. This caused the Coquihalla Highway, which connects Vancouver to the interior, to be closed. The Canadian Pacific Railway announced it would restore service on the route in the coming week.

Several other roads were also closed. The Port of Vancouver suspended its daily rail traffic due to landslides and flooding. This led to a stoppage of international trade in grain, fuel, and manufactured goods.

The Port of Vancouver moves over 440 million dollars of cargo per day. This includes grain, automobiles, coal, and other essential commodities.

Red Cross Canada funding

Thousands of homes and businesses in BC are still under evacuation orders as extreme weather continues to impact the region. The Canadian Red Cross has launched a British Columbia Floods and Extreme Weather Appeal, which is raising funds to help with recovery efforts.

A $228-million aid package is being announced by the federal and provincial governments. The money will help repair damaged roads, agricultural land and animal shelters, while filling in gaps left by private insurance and government assistance plans. It also provides financial support for basic needs, such as food, clothing and lodging.

In addition to its immediate relief efforts, the funds will be used to strengthen communities and prepare for future disasters. The Government of Canada will match every dollar donated to the British Columbia Floods and Extreme Weather Appeal. It will also provide disaster financial assistance for anyone without adequate insurance.

There are tens of thousands of British Columbians in need of help. The province is coordinating aid and working to get help to people in need as quickly as possible. There are emergency shelters in many communities, but they are full and have limited capacity.

The Canadian Red Cross is working with local, provincial and federal authorities to reach out to people affected by the flooding. They will work directly with families and households that have been affected to ensure they are accounted for and receive any available supports. They may be able to provide information about available supports, help people understand their insurance and make plans for returning home.

The Red Cross has established offices in several key centres, including Kamloops, Chilliwack and Merritt. It has also activated a humanitarian workforce to support response efforts.

Climate change impact on frequency of storms

Despite the large variety of factors and uncertainties, there is some evidence that climate change will increase the frequency and intensity of storms. This may impact coastal communities in the long term. The impacts will vary between areas. The most important effects are likely to be related to sea level and extreme precipitation. The impacts will also be cumulative.

There are several models that are used to characterize the impacts of climate change. The most accurate results are produced when the models are run together. These include the CMIP5 multi-model ensemble, which projects an increase in the number of Category 4 and 5 storms by the late 21st century. The results are much more reliable than individual model results.

The most significant agreement across studies is an increase in precipitation and intensity. This is not surprising because climate change has contributed to an increase in global temperatures. The effects of this increased temperature have led to an increase in sea surface temperature, resulting in more intense storms. In BC, average daily maximum and minimum temperatures have increased by 0.7 degC and 2.2 degC per century, respectively.

The increase in rainfall is due to an increase in the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere. This increases the moisture convergence in a storm system. In BC, the increased precipitation will be associated with an increase in the frequency of atmospheric rivers, which affect coastal communities by moving moisture towards the poles. The increased rainfall may also lead to increased erosion risks to marine infrastructure. The changes will also affect terrestrial systems, especially in areas with high natural variation in precipitation.

Another study found that the number of Category 4-5 intensity storms has been increasing since the mid-1940s. While this is a statistically insignificant change, it is a noteworthy development. The authors link the increase to favorable thermodynamic conditions during the springtime for storm formation.