VANCOUVER — Heavy rains deluging British Columbia’s south coast and parts of Vancouver Island have prompted the provincial Environment Ministry to warn residents to be on the lookout for flooding along the region’s rivers.
A so-called pineapple express storm was moving into the region on Sunday, with between 80 and 200 millimetres of rain expected to fall by Monday and continuing through to Tuesday.
The province’s River Forecast Centre issued a flood watch — the least severe of the centre’s flood advisories — for the southern half of Vancouver Island, the Sea-to-Sky region including Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton, and the Vancouver area.
Environment Minister Barry Penner said residents should take steps to mitigate potential flooding by ensuring storm drains are clear and keep informed of the latest watches and warnings.
A pineapple express describes a flow of moist, sub-tropical air from Hawaii that can cause extreme rainfall, according to Environment Canada’s website. At the same time, the warning air also melts more snow.