Break out the umbrellas.
Wet skies fed by an “atmospheric river” are set to dump as much as 150 millimetres of rainfall on the Tri-Cities through Friday.
The rain is predicted to intensify throughout Friday and will likely last longer at higher elevations.
In what The Weather Network has described as “day-long washout,” heavy rainfall could lead to localized flooding before it tapers off Saturday morning.
Torrential rains can lead to flash flooding and pools of water of the road.
To put 150 millimetres (six inches) of rain into perspective, that’s nearly a third of all the rain that has fallen in Coquitlam over the last month.
The rains, which are also expected to be accompanied by high winds of up to 70 km/h near the water, have prompted the city of Coquitlam to issue a safety advisory. The city recommends that you:
- Avoid river and creek banks due to higher-than-normal water volumes
- Avoid hiking through forested parks and trails, in particular pathways at the bottom of ravines, as well as the crest of steeper slopes due to increased landslide risk.
- Watch out for falling trees or branches due to wind gusts ripping through trees in saturated soils
- Inspect and clear catch basins near your property of debris to prevent flooding. Use this map tool to locate a catch basin.
- Watch out for pooling water when driving or walking
- Avoid driving around barricades on roads as they have been placed there to protect public safety.
The city also indicated it would be deploying public work crews to maintain catch basins free or debris, prevent flooding and be at the ready in case of emergencies.
For any concerns or to report water issues, the city asks you to call Engineering and Public Works 24/7 customer service line at 604-927-3500.
