Warnings in place, roads closed, flooded as atmospheric river batters B.C.

A rainfall warning remains in effect on Saturday as an atmospheric river batters B.C.’s South Coast.

The warning is in place for Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Howe Sound and parts of the Sea to Sky region.

By Sunday, between 80 and 120 millimetres of rain is expected to fall, with the intensity expected to ease Saturday night before a second round of heavy rain on Sunday.

Environment Canada warns of major pooling on roads, swollen rivers and creeks, and potential coastal flooding.

“They’ll be moments where the intensity of the rain, particularly in the elevated slopes, will be reaching 15, even 20 millimetres an hour, which is essentially a trigger for things like landslides and washouts,” Armel Castellan, a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment Canada, told Global News.

The City of North Vancouver is asking all residents to avoid travel, if possible, and avoid rivers, streams and other local waterways.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

West 1st Street from Donaghy Avenue to Mackay Avenue is closed due to flooding.

In addition, Alder Street at St. Davids Avenue is closed due to pooling water.

West Vancouver police are warning residents that the storm is causing challenges in that region.

Westbound and eastbound ramps to Highway 1 at 21st Street are closed due to flooding; pooling water and popped manholes are causing issues along Marine Drive from Taylor Way to 24th Street; and 21st Street near Queens is closed due to flooding,

North Shore Emergency Management has set up a reception centre for North Shore residents displaced by the storm at the Mickey McDougall Recreation Centre at 240 E. 23rd Street in North Vancouver.

North Shore residents are also being directed to North Shore Emergency Management’s website for updates on the storm.

Surrey RCMP are asking the public to stay away from the intersection of King George Boulevard and 128 Street due to flooding.

There is pooling water on King George Boulevard as southbound traffic leaves the Pattullo Bridge near 128 Street. Southbound traffic is down to one lane.

In Langley, at 201A Street, vehicles had to be towed as the road turned into a lake.

Multiple off- and on-ramps around the South Coast and Vancouver Island are closed due to flooding. Drivers should check Drive BC before heading out on the roads.

The BC River Forecast Centre has upgraded the flood watch to a flood warning for West Vancouver Island, including rivers around Tofino, Bamfield and Port Renfrew.

It has also upgraded the flood watch to a flood warning for the Coquitlam River.

The public is being urged to avoid all rivers and creeks as the banks may become unstable due to the heavy rain.