Much of coastal British Columbia is braced for a brief but powerful windstorm while snowfall and winter storm warnings stretch from the inland north coast all the way to the northeast corner of the province.
Environment Canada says a fast-moving cold front crossing the south coast and a low-pressure system north of Vancouver Island will create winds up to 90 km/h in the south and 110 km/h over northern parts of the Island and central coast.
The system arrives at the same time as unusually high tides, raising the potential for flooding and prompting cities such as Courtenay to issue storm surge advisories or install portable flood barriers along low-lying areas.
Expected winds caused BC Ferries to cancel many morning sailings between Vancouver Island and the Mainland, but forecasters say winds should ease by afternoon – although it will remain gusty.
BC Ferries has already cancelled the below sailings on its major routes in anticipating of winds throughout Tuesday morning:
Swartz Bay – Tsawwassen
7:00 am departing Tsawwassen
9:00 am departing Swartz Bay
7:00 am departing Swartz Bay
9:00 am departing Tsawwassen
Nanaimo (Duke Point) – Tsawwassen
5:15 am departing Duke Point
7:45 am departing Tsawwassen
