Environment Canada has issued a handful of weather warnings for parts of B.C. this weekend.
On the western side of Vancouver Island, a wind warning is in place, as strong gusts are expected from Saturday evening to Sunday morning.
“A vigorous frontal system will move across the South Coast this evening to Sunday,” said Environment Canada.
“With the frontal passage, strong northwesterly and westerly winds of 80 gusting 100 km/h will develop tonight and continue into Sunday morning.”
Communities under the alert include those near Juan de Fuca Strait and along the island’s western shores.
Further north, a special weather statement for strong winds is in place for Haida Gwaii and coastal sections of the North Coast.
“An intense, low-pressure system will approach Haida Gwaii on Monday,” said the national weather agency, noting travel disruptions are possible. “Very strong southeast winds are expected.
“Wind warnings may be issued as we approach closer to this weather event.”
Heading inland, special weather statements for freezing rain are in effect for the Prince George and Stuart/Nechako area in north-central B.C., as well as a large swath in the Southern Interior.
Areas in the Southern Interior under the freezing rain alert – which spans from Saturday evening to Sunday morning — are:
- Fraser Canyon
- Nicola
- Similkameen
- Central Okanagan
- North Okanagan
- Shuswap
- Boundary
- West Kootenay
- Kootenay Lake
The Coquihalla Highway from Hope to Kamloops, plus Highway 3 from Hope to Princeton, are also under the special weather statement for freezing rain.
“A frontal system will move across the B.C. Interior tonight and Sunday,” said Environment Canada.
“Warm air aloft with lingering cold air in valleys will create localized patches of ice pellets and freezing rain across the region during the night.
“As the warm air aloft retreats in the early hours of Sunday morning, precipitation will change to light snow. The snow will end or taper to showers later on Sunday.”