UPDATE: Environment Canada says heavy rain associated with the remnants of Hurricane Oho will continue early this morning over the North Coast and Haida Gwaii.
The rainfall amounts are expected to be in 50 to 70 millimetre range.
The rain is expected to pick up this evening ahead of the next system. A third system will bring more rain on Sunday.
Very strong southeasterly winds of 90 to 110 km/h have also developed over Haida Gwaii.
These winds will spread to the North Coast and the Central Coast, and exposed sections of North Vancouver Island early this morning. Parks Canada has also issued an extreme wave rating for Tofino and Ucluelet this weekend. Breaking waves continuously exceed three metres, combined with very strong rip currents. People are advised to use extreme caution if participating in any water or shoreline activity. Do not travel along the shoreline of rocky beaches or headlands.
The winds will ease later this morning to 50 to 70 km/h as the low continues to track northwards.
WATCH: Cameraman Robin Rowland captured these beautiful images of the fog and rain in Kitimat ahead of this weekend’s expected storm.
WATCH: Massett Mayor Andrew Merilees explains how Haida Gwaii is preparing for their first major storm of the year.
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Hurricane Oho may be heading towards British Columbia, but by the time it hits Haida Gwaii it shouldn’t be much more than a mid-sized storm.
“It’s very important the people understand that hurricanes cannot form or sustain themselves in the northeast pacific waters because the water is simply too cold,” says Global BC meteorologist Kate Gajdosik.
“For a hurricane to grow and sustain itself you have to have water as warm as 26.5 degrees Celsius and should it be below 26.5, the hurricane’s strength will weaken immediately.
The hurricane has peaked as a Category 2 hurricane approximately 500 kilometres to the east of Hawaii. Forecasts by the Central Pacific Hurricane Center now show it moving in a northeast direction, but also losing most of its power before it reaches Haida Gwaii area early Friday morning.
“Rather than just dying out completely in the ocean, its remnants are being picked up by the disturbances coming off the Alaskan panhandle, and based on the upper flow of the atmosphere, that moisture is being driven to the north and central coast,” says Gajdosik.
However, that doesn’t mean British Columbians shouldn’t be prepared.
“This is going to be another strong, windy day,” says Gajdosik, who says winds up up to 100 kilometres an hour are a possibility on Haida Gwaii and the central coast.
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