On Sunday evening, Abbotsford had already set its own daily record for the most rainfall seen on Nov. 14 — what would follow the next day though in parts of the Fraser Valley would set provincial records.
Both Hope and Abbotsford totalled precipitation amounts early in the week that several cities within B.C. don’t see in an entire year.
And in a two-day period, Hope saw almost as much rain as Penticton would see in one year, on average, according to Environment Canada.
“It puts everything in perspective but of course in the Southern Okanagan, it’s generally a much dryer and completely different climate from the Fraser Valley,” said Bobby Sekhon, a Vancouver-based meteorologist.
Hope saw 295 millimetres of rain on Sunday and Monday combined, while Penticton usually sees around 299 millimetres of rain throughout an entire year.
READ MORE: Flood warning in effect in Hope as heavy rainfall continues
“Hope, generally in the month of November, sees about 310 millimetres of precipitation, so it’s not entirely uncommon for them to have heavy rain,” he said. “But this was definitely significant for a two-day period.”
Meanwhile, in Merritt, the entire population has been forced to evacuate the city, amid the record-breaking floods seen in the area on Monday.
READ MORE: Merritt residents fleeing floods evacuate to Kelowna
“There are a few different things contributing to the flooding in Merritt,” added Sekhon. “From what I understand, the cold water river flows from the Coquihalla where we saw over 250 millimetres of rain.
“Plus the possibility of some water running down in that area too.”
Evacuees from Merritt have been forced to make their way to Kelowna, where volunteers at the city’s Parkinson Recreation Centre will provide the ones affected with food and shelter.
One hour south of Merritt, Princeton remains under a state of emergency as the town continues its efforts to prevent more flooding.
@lgllockhart
logan.lockhart@pentictonwesternnews.com
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