The storm that downed power lines across Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland has finally subsided.
Earlier this week, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) posted a special weather statement about the incoming inclement weather, calling the storm “significant.” The storm was set to arrive Tuesday.
A weather advisory was in effect for Metro Vancouver and Greater Victoria today. It warned of high tide late this morning, bringing the potential for minor coastal flooding and possible heavy debris along beaches.
“Storm surge from gale to storm force southeast winds combined with seasonably high tide will produce elevated water levels for areas near the water across the south coast on Wednesday,” ECCC said. “Coastal flooding is possible along exposed shorelines, especially in low-lying areas.”
Experts explained that BC has experienced a bomb cyclone a few times in recent years. It is categorized as a rapidly deepening low-pressure system. While it can bring rain, the winds were the primary concern.
The power authority said the storm impacted hundreds of thousands of BC Hydro customers. The bomb cyclone even caused countless trees to topple across the region, including some that fell onto power lines.
#BCStorm update: High winds have caused extensive damage to our system and outages to over 180,000 customers in the Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast and on Vancouver Island. Crews will continue to work throughout the night to make repairs and restore power. High winds and access… pic.twitter.com/oSszz3CWjX
— BC Hydro (@bchydro) November 20, 2024
A number of Vancouver Island highways were also shut down because of the storm.
The bomb cyclone continued to wreak havoc Wednesday morning, as BC Ferries was forced to cancel dozens of sailings as cleanup continued around the province.
BC Ferries announced that the cancellations were due to Environment and Climate Change Canada’s “severe weather forecast for high winds in the Strait of Georgia.”