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Torrential rains avoid valley

Remnants of Hurricane Oho are on their way to B.C., expected to slam the coast with torrential downpours – but it will only be a mildly wet weekend in the Okanagan.

“Even though there is a succession of really intense, wet, subtropical lows hitting the coast, the Okanagan will probably just see the last little bit. It will be brushed by this weather,” says Environment Canada Meteorologist Lisa Coldwells.

“The remnants of Hurricane Oho will be moving off the Pacific and moving into the Haida Gwaii/Prince Rupert areas of the North Coast. Up in those regions, they are looking at heavy rain and intense winds.”

The Okanagan might receive 10 millimetres of rain over the next four days, but 200-250 mm are expected to slam Haida Gwaii.

“In the Okanagan, there will be some rain. It is going to be a much wetter Thanksgiving weekend than what we are used to in the last few years,” says Coldwells.

“The forecast does look pretty dreary ... but the amount we see in the Okanagan will probably only amount to five to 10 mm.”

The first storm will bring rain to the North Coast and showers to the Interior as it moves into the northern Interior this afternoon. Mainly dry conditions are forecast for the South Coast this afternoon.

The second storm will incorporate the remnants of Hurricane Oho and will intensify on Friday, resulting in heavy rain and very windy conditions along the central and northern coast. Rain will continue over coastal regions this weekend as more Pacific storms are expected to approach the coast.

Snow on highway passes should not be a concern for the holiday weekend.

“It's warm enough that all the upper highway roads will only see rain. There will be absolutely no snow on the passes,” says Coldwells.

“You do, of course, need snow tires as it is a provincial requirement after Oct. 1, but also maybe consider investing in a new pair of windshield wipers because that will be the main weather concern this weekend.”



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