Another storm approaches Vancouver Island as crews finish restoring power to thousands

A new storm is set to hit Vancouver Island just as residents are finishing recovery from a "bomb cyclone" that began affecting the region late Tuesday.

At the height of the previous storm, around 300,000 B.C. Hydro customers were without power, with over half of those outages occurring on Vancouver Island. Wind gusts reached speeds of up to 170 km/h off the island's northern coast, causing trees to fall and damaging infrastructure along the B.C. coastline.

Environment Canada has issued a new set of weather warnings for southwestern British Columbia, including Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast, Central Coast, and Howe Sound, predicting winds of up to 90 km/h for Friday. Though this storm is expected to be less intense than the previous one, officials warn that it could still cause disruption and complicate ongoing cleanup efforts.

By Thursday morning, B.C. Hydro reported that power had been restored to over 90% of those affected, but more than 15,000 customers remained without electricity by 6 p.m. PT. Some areas with significant damage may face another night without power. B.C. Hydro spokesperson Kevin Aquino-Bravo explained that debris and road blockages were hindering access for repair crews.

"The crews have been working nonstop to restore power," Aquino-Bravo said, noting that certain areas were particularly difficult to reach due to heavy debris. He mentioned that the utility had sent crews to the northern parts of Vancouver Island ahead of the storm to ensure they could access those regions before ferry services were canceled. The hardest-hit areas included Nanaimo, Victoria, and Qualicum Beach.

Environment Canada has forecasted that a low-pressure system will deepen off Washington state by Thursday evening, moving north and causing southeasterly winds to intensify through Friday. Winds are expected to peak in the afternoon and evening.

Wind warnings were also issued for southern Howe Sound and Bowen Island, where outflow winds are expected to pick up overnight and reach speeds of up to 90 km/h by Friday morning. The storm is anticipated to cause further damage, power outages, and fallen trees, and may result in hazardous driving conditions due to strong crosswinds.

Snowfall warnings have been issued for southeastern B.C., with up to 25 centimeters of snow expected in the Creston and Fernie areas by Thursday morning. More snow is expected throughout Friday and into the weekend.

This storm is part of a series of powerful weather events this fall, including an atmospheric river system in mid-October that caused flash flooding and dropped nearly 300 millimeters of rain in some areas.

Armel Castellan, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, explained that the storms are the result of a sustained upper trough of low pressure high in the atmosphere, which has been persistent since late September. "While such patterns are typical for this time of year, this one has lasted longer than usual," Castellan said.

He pointed out that prolonged upper troughs can make the region more vulnerable to additional storms, particularly when the ground is already saturated, as it was in 2021, when a similar weather pattern led to devastating flooding.

Castellan noted that B.C. residents can expect some relief over the weekend, with a shift toward cooler and drier conditions, offering a sharp contrast to the weather experienced in recent days.