Thunderstorm turns out lights

Update - 7:50 a.m. 

Power has been restored to the majority of homes in the North Okanagan after thunderstorms rolled through the area last night and this morning. According to BC Hydro, there were 2,223 homes without power earlier this morning when the light's went out around 5:40 a.m., but it has since been restored. 

There are still a few people without power in the 16200 block of Barkley Road in Lake Country, and the 2200 block of Powerhouse Road near Armstrong. BC Hydro says power will restored to those homes by 9 a.m.

Photo: Trevor Rockliffe - Kelowna

Taken at 5 a.m. in West Kelowna on Friday Sept. 6 as the storm moved across the Okanagan.

Hundreds of residents in British Columbia's North Okanagan are without power this morning as a thunderstorm hits the area.

The heavy storm has rolled through Vernon, causing a blackout that has affected roughly 2,200 residences.

BC Hydro says crews are being dispatched, and the power is expected to be restored in a few hours.

Environment Canada has issued weather warnings for the Similkameen and Okanagan Valley, saying a strong upper low pressure system over Washington state is moving northeastward through BC.

The bands of showers and thunderstorms are expected to continue on and off throughout the day, and some areas may see up to 40 millimetres of rainfall.

A thunder-and-lightning storm swept through the province's south coast last night, causing power outages in Metro Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast, and even delaying flights at Vancouver's airport.