Highway to Tofino Closed by B.C. Bomb cyclone: 180,000 homes without power

Bomb cyclones are expected to hit the British Columbia coast Tuesday and overnight. Bomb cyclones occur when atmospheric pressure drops rapidly at their center.

Four highways on Vancouver Island have been closed due to fallen trees and debris. Road closures are expected until Wednesday morning at least.

Tofino-Port Alberni Highway 4, Sooke-Sooke Highway 14, Hillcrest-Gold River Highway 18, and Campbell River-Gold River Highway 28. If possible, drivers across the province should avoid the roads on Tuesday night.

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Metro Vancouver, particularly Vancouver, Burnaby and New Westminster, have been warned of wind (at 8:30 p.m.).

Wind speeds up to 100 kilometers per hour are expected Tuesday night to late Wednesday.

The wind will be strong in the morning on Wednesday, but it should ease by the afternoon. Valleys in the east-west direction can also experience very strong winds.

“Some areas may also experience heavy rain, but the winds will remain the primary concern,” the weather agency said.

Power outages on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast. Tofino, Nanaimo, and Qualicum Beach are included.

Outages are more prevalent in the northern part of the island (95,361), but there has been a surge in the Lower Mainland (34,157) over the past hour.

As of 6:30 p.m. hurricane-force winds of more than 120 km/h are hitting parts of the British Columbia coast as a “bomb cyclone” develops off Vancouver Island.

The storm has been accompanied by more than 50 warnings, advisories and alerts issued by Environment Canada, covering most of Vancouver Island and other coastal areas.

Winds on the central and north coasts could peak at 120 km/h overnight, although winds beyond 130 km/h were already being experienced on Sartine Island Tuesday afternoon.

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A storm surge and higher-than-normal tide are expected to cause flooding in low-lying areas of Vancouver on Wednesday. Locarno and Spanish Banks, Fraser River floodplain, Southlands and Fraser River floodplain.

Metro Vancouver residents should be aware of the significant fall storm that will hit Tuesday afternoon, according to Environment Canada.

“A rapidly deepening low pressure system is expected to cross Vancouver Island by late afternoon.” Upon reaching the Central Coast, this low will remain offshore.

Coastal areas can expect high winds today, with peaks overnight and into Wednesday morning before easing.

High winds and storm damage may be expected from an incoming storm on the British Columbia seaboard.

The transportation ministry will have maintenance contractors on standby in case of extreme rain, B.C. emergency management officials said.

Winds will remain the primary concern during this storm, although heavy rain will also fall in some areas.

Be sure to charge your electronic devices and stock your emergency kits. As well, officials ask residents not to drive through floodwater or near river and coastal shorelines.

An Environment Canada meteorologist explains that bomb cyclones originate from drops in atmospheric pressure at storm centers.

According to him, “we typically need a lot of cold air loss in the atmosphere to deepen or explode bomb cyclones,” he said. Typically, the key phenomenon with these types of storms is wind.

High winds and heavy rain will accompany the storm on Tuesday afternoon, Environment Canada predicts.

Vancouver Island’s west coast and the central coast are most likely to be affected by the storm.

Wildlife services in B.C. warn of “hurricane force” winds and nine-metre waves off Washington and Oregon coastlines.

B.C.’s coast might experience those conditions as well, said Proctor. In an interview, he said, “That is more typical.”

It depends on where the low pressure center comes in before starting to “hook” northward, and how close it comes to Vancouver Island.

A BC Ferries statement said the company is “closely monitoring” the weather situation.

In a later statement, it said it would provide updates on Tuesday regarding possible delays or cancellations.

“Our goal is to keep people moving without interruption, and inform our passengers as things change,” it said. If significant disruptions occur, we will reschedule or reroute passengers.”

The power company BC Hydro has been monitoring the storm “very closely” since last week, and notes that it is equipped with a “team of in-house meteorologists” who know when storms are coming.

Our crews are ramping up for tomorrow’s storm, both with Hydro and contractors,” the company said.

B.C. is expecting a La Nina winter, which magnifies bomb cyclones when ocean temperatures are cooler.

Storms of similar magnitude are predicted for the province. Once this bomb cyclone passes, we can look forward to a fairly typical late fall,” he said.

Several parts of Metro Vancouver were hit with hail overnight and early Monday.

In mid-October, B.C. was hit with a series of powerful fall storms as well as an atmospheric river that caused flash flooding in Metro Vancouver.

Canada’s insured losses from severe weather now routinely surpass $3 billion annually and have reached a new record of $7.7 billion.

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