CRANBROOK — A wide swath of southeastern British Columbia is under a flood watch as risks rise from rainfall and warm weather accelerating snowmelt.

B.C.’s River Forecast Centre says both the eastern and western portion of the Kootenays, as well as the upper Columbia region, are seeing rising river levels that “will approach or exceed bankfull.”

The centre says high river flows are expected late Friday through early next week, although flood risks may be more muted if storms forecasted in the region shift east toward Alberta.

The communities covered by the flood watch include Golden and Revelstoke in the upper Columbia, as well as Cranbrook, Fernie, Kimberley, Creston, Nelson, Castlegar, Trail and Nakusp in the Kootenays.

The Town of Golden issued an evacuation alert on Friday afternoon for six properties due to high water on the Columbia River.

The town says in a statement that residents need to prepare to leave due to the potential danger to life, safety, health or property.

Warm weather hit the Prairies and parts of B.C.’s Interior this week, with five B.C. communities matching or breaking daily high temperature marks on Thursday.

Rain is in the forecast for southeastern B.C. into Saturday.

“Current modelling is indicating the potential for the heaviest rain to fall in Alberta, with areas of heaviest rain in B.C. to be focused around the southeast and areas around the Upper Columbia, East Kootenay and into the West Kootenay,” the River Forecast Centre’s advisory says.

“Weather models are indicating rainfall totals through Monday of 50 to 100+ mm in these areas, and 20-60 mm through other areas identified.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2026.