April has dropped some weather curves in BC, so nothing seems unusual about what has already happened this month. Residents can expect many days of unstable weather resulting from the low level of the Pacific, such as heavy rain, wet snow and gale-force winds. Impacts on highway crossings are likely, with ship delays likely on Monday. More on what to expect next week, below.
MONDAY AND TUESDAY: THE LIQUID SYSTEM ROLLS ON THE WEST COAST
Most of Sunday will be pleasant on the south coast. However, clouds will begin to roll later in the day before an incoming system. A large high-level trough hovering in the eastern Pacific will arrive in British Columbia on Sunday night through Monday morning, arriving first on Vancouver Island and then on the Lower Mainland. Rainfall will vary on the south coast, with 15-40 mm for the Lower Continent and 30-50 mm for the west island of Vancouver by Tuesday. The rain will spread to Vancouver Island overnight overnight, reaching the Lower Mainland early Monday morning, following further into the area and intensifying as the day progresses. Ferry delays could block your movement on Monday morning as gusts of 50-70 km / h sweep across the Georgian Straits. The highs of the day will reach the coolest side of the season to start the week with the inbound system. Monday’s forecast at 8 ° C in Vancouver is much lower than the city’s seasonal high, about 13 ° C for this point in April. Below seasonal temperatures that spread across the west coast will cause freezing levels to fall below 1,000 meters, so rainfall will manifest as snow. It is possible to see all the rain below 500 meters and wet snow over 500 meters, as the frost levels fall by Tuesday morning. The threat of snow will make it difficult to travel on the highway crossings, especially along Highway 99, where normal conditions will make dangerous trips for those traveling north of Squamish. Looking ahead, we will see another opportunity for volatile weather as we reach the middle of the week. Temperatures should remain on the colder side of the season for the rest of the week. Check back for the latest details on conditions in British Columbia.
