UPDATED: Heavy rains set to hit B.C.’s south coast Monday

B.C.’s south coast is expected to finally bid farewell to frigid temperatures this week.

A very mild and moist subtropical jet stream is expected to move over the south coast. The shift will likely bring some very heavy rainfall, leading Environment Canada to issue special weather statements Sunday for Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and parts of Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast.

“It’s going to be storm after storm,” Global BC meteorologist Michael Kuss said. “We’re going to see three pretty significant rainmakers Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and into Thursday morning.”

Kuss said parts of the region could receive as much as 150 millimetres of precipitation during the storms. Afternoon temperatures will rise to 8 to 10 degrees Tuesday and Wednesday.

The deluge, coupled with warmer temperatures, could lead to the issuing of highstream flow advisories on Vancouver Island and the south coast in the coming days.

“We’re going to see a lot of snow melting, even at the higher elevations and that’s going to create high streamflows and the potential for some flooding,” Kuss said.

Municipalities are urging residents and homeowners to clear their catchbasins of debris to prevent clogging.

Environment Canada added in its alert that Whistler and the Sea to Sky Highway could see the precipitation begin as snow Monday, before slowly transitioning into rain Monday evening or early Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the snow seems to be moving into the interior, with up to 20 centimetres predicted for the North Okanagan, Shuswap, North Thompson, and North and West Columbia regions by Tuesday morning.

With files from Sean Boynton, Kristen Robinson and Yvonne Schalle