A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for parts of B.C. on two major highways.
According to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), a severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for both the Okanagan Connector from Merritt to Kelowna and the Coquihalla Highway between Merritt and Kamloops.
ECCC states that those areas are currently seeing favourable conditions for the development of severe thunderstorms, which could potentially produce strong wind gusts, large hail and heavy rain.
The alerts were issued late Monday morning.
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Temperatures have been exceptionally warm in the Kamloops area, with ECCC suggesting temperatures feel like 30˚C in the B.C. city as of the time of this publication. ECCC says there’s a 70 per cent chance of thunderstorms, with the added potential for those thunderstorms to be severe in nature, in the Kamloops area.
“Weather in the mountains can change suddenly, resulting in hazardous driving conditions,” ECCC notes.
“When thunder roars, go indoors! Lightning kills and injures Canadians every year,” it adds.
ECCC says that it issues severe thunderstorm watches when there’s a potential for a thunderstorm to produce damaging hail, wind or rain.
The weather agency recommends that individuals planning to be in the area check road conditions at drivebc.ca and monitor alerts and forecasts issued by the ECCC. You can also report weather via email to BCstorm@ec.gc.ca.
Closer to home, it doesn’t appear that Metro Vancouver will experience any of the effects of this weather pattern, which could potentially bring damaging conditions to the Coquihalla and Okanagan Connector.
There’s no rain in the weather forecast for Metro Vancouver, just lots of sun, with highs expected to feel like 28˚C inland and 25˚C in mainland areas.
ECCC
In case you missed it, check out what the Farmers’ Almanac thinks is going to happen this fall when it comes to Metro Vancouver weather. Spoiler: it’s all over the place, just like you’d expect, in Vancouver.