The low has approached southern British Columbia and is parked off Vancouver Island for the next few days, bringing with it a multi-day storm threat for parts of the province. Areas along the southern coast and in the central and southern interior will be threatened by developing storms, some of which may become severe, with the risk continuing into Friday. More on weather and impacts below.
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Thursday and Friday forecast: A severe storm threat covers parts of B.C
The risk of storms began Wednesday, extending over Vancouver Island, the south coast and across the southern interior. The lack of significant moisture and dry lightning from the storms bring risks not only to people, but also the threat of starting new forest fires.
Dry lightning is a type of thunderstorm in which the rain evaporates before it reaches the ground. Sixty percent of fires last year were lightning-related, so it’s safe to assume that additional wildfires are likely to ignite in the coming days.
For Thursday, the storm threat moves east and will become wider. Such hazards will threaten areas where severe thunderstorms develop.
“The steep terrain and topography can also help increase the threat of large hail and locally strong wind gusts as storms develop,” warned Kelly Sonnenburg, meteorologist at The Weather Network.
Some isolated thunderstorms and showers may develop during the late morning and early afternoon in the southern interior before widespread scattered convection develops over the Kootenay, Columbia and Purcells regions.
Wildfire smoke will also change its trajectory over the next few days, thanks to low sea levels; therefore, it could bring fog to coastal BC with drifting smoke heading for various inland communities. Some of this heavy smoke can even be traced back to the wildfires in California.
Here is the latest fire danger assessment for Western Canada. High to extreme areas across much of BC, southern Alberta and Saskatchewan. Also, parts of northwestern Ontario are seeing high to extreme ratings. pic.twitter.com/z9lYG4ODrm
Here is the latest fire danger assessment for Western Canada. High to extreme areas across much of BC, southern Alberta and Saskatchewan. Also, parts of northwestern Ontario are seeing high to extreme ratings. Dayna Vettese 🌪️ on Twitter: “Here’s the latest fire danger assessment for Western Canada. High to extreme areas covered much of British Columbia, southern Alberta and Saskatchewan. Also, parts of northwestern Ontario are seeing high to extreme ratings. pic.twitter.com com/z9lYG4ODrm / Twitter”
— Dayna Vettese 🌪️ (@daynavettese) Dayna Vettese 🌪️ on Twitter: “Here’s the latest fire danger assessment for Western Canada. High to extreme areas cover much of British Columbia, southern Alberta and Saskatchewan. Also, parts of northwestern Ontario are seeing high to extreme ratings. pic.twitter.com/z9lYG4ODrm / Twitter”
Be sure to check back for the latest updates on the rare thunderstorm threat in southern BC
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