BC Hydro is warning of the potential for power outages as the first major storm of the fall rolls into British Columbia.
An active cold front is forecast to move through the B.C. Interior Wednesday, generating thunderstorms and gusty winds, while a developing Pacific storm is expected to move through the province Wednesday night through Thursday.
Environment Canada has issued a slew of alerts, covering most of the Southern Interior.
Wind warnings are in place for much of southeast B.C., including the Kootenay, Boundary, East Columbia and Arrow Lakes regions, with gusts up to 90 km/h in the forecast.
Severe thunderstorm watches are in place for the North and South Okanagan, the Shuswap and the West Columbia regions.
Wind warnings and rainfall warnings are also in place for Haida Gwaii, the Central Coast and northern Vancouver Island.
At the same time, a flood warning has been issued for the Telkwa River and flood watches are in place for the Canoe, Blue, Kitsumkalum, Kitimat-Kemano and Kingcome rivers.
High-streamflow advisories are in place for the North Thompson, South Thompson, Upper Columbia, Upper Fraser, Cariboo and North and Central Coast regions.
BC Hydro says several years of drought conditions have weakened trees and other vegetation, increasing the risk that storm activity could break branches and knock out power.
“This year the Lower Mainland was spared the worst of the drought conditions — on Vancouver Island and northern B.C., not as fortunate,” BC Hydro spokesperson Susie Rieder said.
“We will be seeing more impacts of the drought over the fall storm season, likely on Vancouver Island and in northern B.C., where they’ve had the driest conditions. Also, northern B.C. had fire impacts as well this season.”
Environment Canada meteorologist Armel Castellan said drought conditions have weakened trees in both their roots and branches.
“They become less flexible and so they snap at an easier, kind of less movement. So winds … could be breaking branches or toppling trees.”
BC Hydro said the incoming storm is an important reminder for British Columbians to have an emergency kit stocked with 72 hours of supplies on hand and a family plan on how to handle an extended power outage.