First Arctic outbreak looms after 200,000 left without power

Digital Writers
·12 min read
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First Arctic outbreak looms after 200,000 left without power
First Arctic outbreak looms after 200,000 left without power

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Another atmospheric river brought heavy rain and strong winds to parts of the B.C. South Coast on Friday, prompting widespread warnings for 50+ mm of rain to come.

The combination of strong winds and heavy rain have left 200,000 residents without power on Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, the Sunshine Coast and the Lower Mainland, according to BC Hydro. That number is expected to rise as heavy wind gusts continue.

FORECAST: B.C.’s soggy Friday leads into a blustery, possibly snowy weekend

Meanwhile, freezing levels lowered through the interior and parts of the coast on Thursday, bringing the first official snowfall of the season to communities like Kelowna, Vernon, Kamloops, Quesnel, Penticton, Surrey and even Burnaby and the North Shore Mountains.

More snow is expected this weekend through the interior and coastal and alpine regions, with a system sliding down the coast. Drivers are urged to be prepared to adjust to the changing road conditions as visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in periods of heavy snow.

B.C.'s first Arctic outbreak of the season looms for next week

image - 2022-11-04T061138.834
image - 2022-11-04T061138.834

Arctic air will nudge its way south through early next week, giving the chance for even more low-elevation precipitation to transition to snow.

"With B.C.'s first Arctic outbreak of the season likely arriving next week, more snow is expected across lower elevations in the province, which can be unusual so early in the season," says Kelly Sonnenburg, a meteorologist at The Weather Network.

Through much of next week, with the exception of the Lower Mainland and the Greater Victoria area, daytime high temperatures will be sub-freezing widespread across the province.

image - 2022-11-04T060944.638
image - 2022-11-04T060944.638

Both Sunday and Monday have the chance of more snow creeping into the Lower Mainland and parts of Vancouver Island.

See the reactions of the first flakes flying on Thursday, below:

Thumbnail image courtesy: Brad Atchison/Twitter