Meteorologists are warning that heavy rain and strong winds could bring down drought-stressed trees as they blow into parts of Metro Vancouver later this week.
Environment Canada issued a special weather statement for Coquitlam, Maple Ridge and the North Shore early Thursday morning.
The agency said the heaviest rain was expected on the North Shore, Howe Sound and parts of east Vancouver Island.
Rain is expected to begin midday Thursday and get heavier and heavier into the night.
By Friday morning, forecasters are saying 20-50 millimetres of rain will fall in the region and another 30-50 millimetres are expected by Saturday morning.
Strong southeast wins are forecast to blow into the region by Thursday afternoon, with communities near the Georgia Strait expected to get the worst of it.
The strongest winds will reach speeds of 40-60 kilometres per hours and experts warn that “some drought-stressed trees could be more susceptible to wind damage at these moderate speeds.”
