Pineapple Express storm to dump heavy rain on Metro Vancouver

Do not forget to bring your umbrella out tomorrow, or the day after for that matter. It is going to be an ugly few days on the B.C. South Coast.

Environment Canada has issued a heavy rainfall warning for the Metro Vancouver region, with rainfall expected to fall at rates of 3 to 5 millimetres per hour beginning Friday morning. Between 50 to 70 millimetres of rain is expected to fall by Saturday morning and some areas could be hit with as much as 90 millimetres.

The moisture-rich storm system is arriving from the sub-tropics and will keep temperatures above seasonal. The public has been advised to avoid washouts near rivers, creeks and culverts as flash floods are possible. In addition, drivers should exercise extra caution and expect water pooling on low-lying roads and in areas with poor drainage.

Conditions at the region’s ski hills will likely deteriorate quickly as the balmy rainstorm will send the freezing levels high above the mountains.

In Metro Vancouver, the freezing level is expected to sit at 2,650 metres on Friday and 2,750 metres on Saturday – more than 1,400 metres above the region’s North Shore Mountains. Up at Whistler, freezing levels are expected to reach 2,900 metres.

Feature Image: Storm via Shutterstock