Wild weather leaves damage across Shuswap

SHUSWAP – The storm that blew through the Interior last night has left damage in it's wake in the Shuswap.

Today, May 24, people in Salmon Arm and Sicamous are assessing and dealing with the damage left behind by the high winds.

The Salmon Arm fire Department was busy during the storm last night, and is using Twitter to warn people about downed power lines.

At one point, Highway 97B was closed about 4 kilometres south of Salmon Arm due to a downed tree. The road has since reopened, according to Drive B.C.

One Twitter user pointed out how wild the weather was in the Shuswap last night.

High winds making #Shuswap look more like Tofino. #bcstorm @SalmonArm pic.twitter.com/Dvy7jYhcHr

— Jennifer D Henrie (@JenniferDHenrie) May 24, 2017

Right now, there are more than 18,000 B.C. Hydro customers without power in the Thompson-Shuswap areas, and many of them are in the Shuswap.

3361 customers without power in #SalmonArm. Crews will be sharing updates here: https://t.co/KfEwrrtcMy pic.twitter.com/x753C7rQAe

— BC Hydro (@bchydro) May 24, 2017

One Twitter user from Sicamous says his trampoline and fruit trees were damaged during the winds.

#bcstorm bye bye trampoline and fruit trees! #mothernature –#Sicamous pic.twitter.com/oIhrLaWHBc

— WIZ (@BryanWiznuk) May 24, 2017

Meanwhile, Environment Canada has tweeted out an image of a map that shows the highest wind gusts in the Interior last night.

And here's the Peak Winds across the BC Interior last nigh https://t.co/kWUpJ7nwto t #BCstorm full details: pic.twitter.com/svbFwMZUeh

— ECCC Weather BC (@ECCCWeatherBC) May 24, 2017

Epic wind storm last night. Fortunate to have power and only a few downed branches #salmonarm — Shane McCallum (@shanemccallum) May 24, 2017

#shuswap storm just blew down 4 neighbouring fences in a line! I now have 2 friendly pitbulls running scared in my yard! @technolandy

— Desiree MarshallPeer (@educatalyst_dmp) May 24, 2017

Firefighters were busy last night dealing with several downed lines and trees.

#SalmonArm lines down keeping crews busy tonight pic.twitter.com/SDrqeMlshc

— Troy (@fdtcook) May 24, 2017

The storm also created havoc in the North Okanagan, to the Central Okanagan and in the South Okanagan.

In Penticton today, city crews are assessing the damage public lakeshore from the storm.

The North Okanagan wasn't spared, with trees uprooted and damaging wave action on area lakes.

The Central Okanagan took some heavy damage as well.

In the wake of the cold front that produced the stormy weather, freezing levels have dropped on mountain pass highways in the Interior, and snow is falling.

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