Wicked storms slam B.C. coast and southern Interior with high winds, rain, snow

VANCOUVER – Environment Canada has extended weather warnings and special weather statements across B.C. as a wicked storm bears down on the province.

Wind warnings posted earlier for the north and central coasts, Haida Gwaii, northern and eastern Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast, have now been broadened to include western Vancouver Island.

Winds of up to 100 kilometres per hour are forecast over Haida Gwaii late Wednesday before hammering the coast and parts of Vancouver Island early Thursday, while powerful winds are also forecast for western and eastern Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast.

Special weather statements now cover 23 regions of B.C., from Prince George, south through the Chilcotin and Cariboo, and east from Metro Vancouver, Howe Sound and Whistler, all the way to the Alberta boundary.

Environment Canada says strong winds will buffet the central and southwest Interior through Thursday, with heavy rain at lower levels and snow through the Columbia and Kootenay regions.

Forecasters warn up to 100 millimetres of rain could drench Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley and remnants of the storm, as well as the heavy rains, could linger into Friday.