50 to 70 km/h winds forecast for Thompson Okanagan

Wind is expected to wallop most of the Southwest Interior today.

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement saying strong southerly winds gusting to 50 to 70 kilometres an hour are expected for South Thompson, Nicola, Similkameen, Okanagan Valley, Shuswap and Boundary, throughout Monday.

“A low will develop over the BC interior Monday morning,” Environment Canada said in the alert.

“As the low moves into Alberta late Monday afternoon, the winds will shift to the west or northwest, gusting to 50-70 km/h through this evening. Winds will ease tonight as the low moves further east.”

While wind will be an issue in the Thompson Okanagan, all major East-West routes in and out of the Lower Mainland closed Sunday evening due to flooding, mud and rockslides.

DriveBC warned motorists of “multiple closures” in the Fraser Valley, Fraser Canyon, Hope area and Coquihalla Highway.

Drivers are urged to avoid any unnecessary travel and to check DriveBC before hitting the road, given that “conditions are dymamic.”

Canada Task Force 1, a heavy urban search and rescue team, was dispatched to the slide north of Agassiz.