B.C. under rain, wind and snow warnings amid another atmospheric river

B.C. is under a slew of rain, wind and snow weather warnings Tuesday as another atmospheric river arrives.

A rainfall warning has been issued for the Fraser Valley, Metro Vancouver, coastal and inland sections of the Central Coast, the Elk Valley, the Coquihalla Highway from Hope to Merritt, the Sea to Sky from Squamish to Whistler, inland sections of the North Coast, north and west Vancouver Island, and the Sunshine Coast.

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Environment Canada is forecasting up to 50 millimetres for the Pemberton Valley, up to 60 millimetres for Vancouver, Abbotsford and Whistler, 60 to 80 millimetres over southern sections of Sunshine Coast, Metro Vancouver, southeast including Surrey and Langley and Metro Vancouver and northeast including Coquitlam, and up to 120 millimetres near the North Shore mountains and Squamish.

Areas such as the Central Coast, North Vancouver Island, and West Coast of Vancouver Island, especially north from Tofino including Zeballos and Tahsis, could see between 100 and 150 millimetres of rain through Wednesday.

Inland sections of the Central Coast, including Bella Coola, could get between 80 and 120 millimetres.

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Meanwhile, a wind warning has been issued for the South Peace River and the Fraser Canyon south including Lytton.

Winds gusting to 90 km/h are forecast to develop Tuesday evening.

There’s a lot of concern about the North Coast Tuesday, especially inland including Stewart and Kitimat, Environment Canada said Tuesday.

The latest in a series of storms is currently over the North Coast, with heavy precipitation expected from now through Tuesday night. Snow is quickly accumulating in Stewart with nearly 35 centimetres already accumulated.

This will be followed by heavy rain, where a further 20 to 30 millimetres could fall.

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Meanwhile, a special weather statement calling for rain has been issued for two highway passes in B.C.’s Interior.

The frontal system is expected to produce 40 to 50 millimetres of rain along the Coquihalla, from Hope to the highway’s summit, while 30 to 70 mm is expected between Eagle Pass and Rogers Pass on the Trans-Canada Highway.