Flood watches, high streamflow advisories in effect in B.C. Interior
The B.C. River Forecast Centre is maintaining flood watches for several regions in the Interior and adding high streamflow advisories for several others.
In the centre's latest update Friday, new high streamflow advisories were issued for the Upper Fraser River, the South Thompson and Nicola regions and the West Kootenay, Okanagan and Similkameen regions.
Those are in addition to existing high streamflow advisories for the Peace Region, including areas around Hudson's Hope, Chetwynd, Tumbler Ridge, Dawson Creek and Fort St. John.
A high streamflow advisory indicates that 'river levels are rising or expected to rise rapidly, but that no major flooding is expected,' according to the river forecast centre.
Flood watches – which mean 'river levels are rising and will approach or may exceed bankfull' – remain in effect for the Upper Columbia River and its tributaries, as well as the East Kootenay region, 'Middle Fraser/Chilcotin region tributaries draining from the Coast Mountains east of Lillooet and Williams Lake,' and the Homathko River.
The additional advisories come amid 'an unsettled low-pressure system' that is expected to bring 'wraparound precipitation from Alberta' to the B.C. Interior through Sunday, the river forecast centre said in its update.
Special weather statements were in effect across much of the Southern Interior Saturday, with Environment and Climate Change Canada warning of 'moderate to heavy showers with embedded thunderstorms' across the Okanagan and Fraser Canyon regions.
The river forecast centre says the weather pattern will create the potential for 'enhanced upslope rainfall on the eastern slopes' of B.C. mountain ranges, which are typically dryer than the western sides.
River flows were expected to begin rising Friday and to peak 'Saturday into Sunday,' the forecast centre said.
'Current hydrological modelling indicates the possibility of flows reaching or exceeding the five-year to 20-year return period range in areas receiving the highest rainfall totals,' the centre's update reads.
'Uncertainty remains high for rainfall amounts and locations from now through the weekend. If rainfall totals reach or exceed the high-end scenario of current weather modelling, flows greater than the 20-year return period could be possible.'
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