A strong Pacific storm is brewing and on its way to Vancouver Island, according to Environment Canada.
Victoria’s Extreme Weather Protocol has been activated, increasing the number of shelter beds for people who are homeless across the region.
Rain and strong southeasterly winds are expected to arrive in Greater Victoria and the south coast by Thursday afternoon, but the highest rainfall amounts are predicted for north and west Vancouver Island and the central coast.
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A rainfall warning is in effect for the west side of the Island, with rain expected to spread onto the central coast and northern Vancouver Island, potentially mixed with wet snow. Those parts of the region can expect between 100 and 150 millimetres of rain and Environment Canada warns that localized flooding in low-lying areas is a possibility.
Get out your umbrella folks. A weather alert from Environment Canada is warning of heavy wind and precipitation across Vancouver Island. (Photo/Environment Canada) pic.twitter.com/tpJkMki4qE
— Nina Grossman (@NinaGrossman) January 2, 2020
The heavy rain and strong winds will continue all day Friday.
To stay up to date on the latest weather alerts, visit weather.gc.ca.
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