Explosive cyclogenesis rips through British Columbia, slamming province with wind, rain and snow
Cyclone rapidly intensified as it approached West Coast, bringing hurricane-force winds and drenching rains
An explosive cyclogenesis event has slammed into British Columbia, bringing with it hurricane-force winds, torrential rains and heavy snow. The rapidly intensifying cyclone, which developed off the coast of Vancouver Island on Tuesday, brought widespread power outages and transportation disruptions as it moved across the province.
Environment and Climate Change Canada issued several weather warnings as the cyclone approached, including a wind warning for coastal areas and a rainfall warning for the North Coast and HaidaGwaii.
The cyclone made landfall near Tofino on Wednesday morning, bringing with it winds gusting up to 120 kilometers per hour. The strong winds toppled trees, downed power lines and caused widespread property damage. The heavy rains also caused flooding in many areas, including Vancouver, where several roads were closed due to high water.
In addition to the wind and rain, the cyclone also brought heavy snow to higher elevations.
Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued a snowfall warning for the mountain passes of the Coquihalla Highway and the Sea to Sky Highway, where up to 50 centimeters of snow is expected. The snow has made travel difficult in these areas, and several accidents have been reported.
The cyclone is expected to weaken as it moves inland, but it will continue to bring rain and snow to the province for the next few days.
Environment and Climate Change Canada is urging people to be prepared for further weather-related disruptions, and to stay away from coastal areas if possible.
