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One storm down, two to go, as Christmas week battering forecast for Island

A storm is expected to bring very strong winds and heavy rain to 鶹ýӳIsland and B.C.'s south coast on Christmas morning.
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A walker and a dog brave the Ross Bay seawall in Victoria as high wind and waves hit 鶹ýӳIsland on Dec. 27, 2023. A series of storms is forecast to hit B.C.’s South Coast this week. DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST

Environment Canada says the first of a series of Christmas week storms forecast for British Columbia's coast is moving inland, after bringing 140 km/h winds to some exposed coastal areas.

But there will be no respite for 鶹ýӳIsland and the south coast, with a second storm expected to bring very strong winds and heavy rain on Christmas morning.

for much of 鶹ýӳIsland on Tuesday, with Environment Canada warning of high winds in western sections of Metro 鶹ýӳnear the water, Greater Victoria, Southern Gulf Islands, East 鶹ýӳIsland, and Sunshine Coast on Dec. 25.

A rainfall warning has been issued for west 鶹ýӳIsland, with up to 100 millimetres of rain expected, with Environment Canada saying to watch for flash floods, water pooling on roads and localized flooding. The heavy rain is forecast to ease to showers on Christmas night.

The initial storm that arrived late Monday brought gusts up to 142 km/h to the west coast of the Island overnight, before moving out of the region Tuesday morning.

Environment Canada said the next storm is expected arrive early on Christmas Day, with B.C. Ferries warning that multiple routes might be affected by high winds forecast for the Strait of Georgia and north 鶹ýӳIsland.

The wind is forecast to start late in the morning and last through the day before gradually easing on Christmas night.

Very strong winds gusting to 100 km/h are possible for Greater Victoria, Southern Gulf Islands and Courtenay to Campbell River, the forecaster said, with gusts up to 120 km/h elsewhere on the Island.

Environment Canada said to expect travel disruptions and possible power outages, and said the wind could toss loose objects and damage outdoor holiday decorations.

B.C. Ferries  between 鶹ýӳIsland and the Lower Mainland, from late morning until early evening. Wednesday's night sailings from Tsawwassen, Swartz Bay, Horseshoe Bay, Duke Point and Departure Bay are at risk of being cancelled, or could have their schedules changed. Sailings up to 9 a.m. are expected to go ahead.  

“We know you have important places to be. We will monitor the weather conditions and we will share updates with you as further information becomes available,” B.C. Ferries said in a statement. 

Travellers are asked to check  for the most up-to-date information and current sailing conditions. 

A third weather system is expected to approach southern 鶹ýӳIsland early Thursday, but Environment Canada said there's uncertainty about its path.

The agency says an anticipated southern track would confine the strongest winds and heavy rain to the south coast.

鶹ýӳIsland and the B.C. coastline have been besieged by storms since October. 

A storm on the weekend of Nov. 19 left four people dead, including two drivers whose vehicles were washed off a road near Bamfield. 

Two others on the Lower Mainland also died: a Coquitlam woman whose home was struck by a mudslide, and a man who entered the Coquitlam River to try to rescue a dog. 

Earlier this month, a powerful storm triggered a mudslide that killed two people in Lions Bay and cut the Sea to Sky Highway between 鶹ýӳand Whistler. 

The Dec. 14 storm left hundreds of thousands of B.C. Hydro customers without electricity. About 20,000 of those were on 鶹ýӳIsland. 

B.C. Hydro has been warning of weather-related power outages caused by drought-weakened trees and other vegetation this fall and winter following a multi-year drought in the province. 

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