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B.C. braces for severe storms this fall

A storm formed from the remnants by Hurricane Oho passed by the north and central coast this morning with heavy precipitation and winds, but no significant damage.

Now they brace for another storm, due to hit on Saturday.

“It won’t pack as much of a punch, but it’s the accumulated effects of all this rain that we’re keeping a close eye on,” says Matt MacDonald, an Environment Canada Meterologist.

“The central and north coast saw 120 millimetres [of rain] over the last 24 hours. This next system is slated to deliver perhaps another 80 to 100 mm, again to the central and north Coast.”
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B.C. braces for severe storms this fall - image

And a third storm will also hit the region on Sunday, before heading towards the south Coast on Monday. Over the three-day period, Environment Canada expects anywhere from 200 to 300 mm of precipitation for the north and central coast, and 100 mm for south coast.

BC Hydro deployed crews in advance to Queen Charlotte City, Bella Coola, Port Hardy, Ucluelet and Prince Rupert. And Environment Canada is reminding people to clean their gutters to help prevent localized flooding.

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MacDonald says it likely signals the beginning of a particularly stormy fall.

READ MORE: El Niño event will lead to coastal flooding and erosion of B.C.’s coast

“I think it’ll be quite an active storm season given how warm the ocean temperatures are currently. All that heat isn’t going anywhere anytime soon,” he said.

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“It seems just yesterday we were in drought condition, and it was a pretty abrupt shift.”

WATCH: A new study says a “monster” El Niño is heading for British Columbia this winter. Kylie Stanton reports.

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