Flood Alerts Downgraded in Eastern Okanagan, Boundary; updated near Fort Nelson

VANCOUVER — The risk of flooding has decreased in the interior of southern British Columbia, but is increasing in the north of the province thanks to changing weather conditions.

The River Forecast Center issued a new flood watch for the Liard River and its tributaries on Sunday, including areas around the community of Fort Nelson and Highway 97 into Watson Lake.

Steady warming last week led to more snowmelt and runoff in rivers in northern and central British Columbia, he said, while a storm system added rain to rivers.

More rain than expected on Sunday and Monday for the Bulkley Valley and Skeena regions could cause rivers to swell, while the Liard would also continue to rise, the forecast center said.

But he said the danger has lessened in the eastern Okanagan and Boundary regions, where flood watches have been downgraded to high-flow advisories.

The forecast center said that while local storms may affect river systems in the area, no significant increases are forecast at this time.

“Generally speaking, the hydrologic forecasts in the region for the next few days indicate steady or declining flow levels, with the proviso that smaller systems could see a larger-than-forecast response due to local convective precipitation that is difficult to measure. forecast,” he said.

A low pressure system brought challenging weather and moderate to heavy rain waves to the southern interior on Friday and Saturday, the forecast center said.

The storm brought some local downpours, especially in areas around Merritt and in the headwaters of the Nicola River, which was the source of some of last year’s most severe flooding.

While more rain was forecast starting Sunday, it wasn’t expected to be as heavy as Friday and Saturday, and smaller rivers in the southern interior have already peaked, he said.

Areas covered by the flood risk reduction include Mission Creek and its tributaries east of Vernon, Kelowna, Penticton and surrounding areas in the eastern Okanagan; the West Kettle River and surrounding tributaries; and Spius Creek and the Lower Nicola River.

A new flood watch was also issued on Sunday for the Dean River in the Fraser Plateau.

Flood watches are the second level of a three-tier warning system used by the forecast center and mean river levels are rising and will approach or spill over their banks.

A flood warning, which is the most severe level of warning, was not in effect Sunday afternoon for any area of ​​BC, however, the forecast center warned that some rivers may peak as soon as next week.

Dozens of British Columbians remained on evacuation alert, including in areas around Terrace and Smithers, meaning they were asked to be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice should conditions worsen.

This report from The Canadian Press was first published on June 5, 2022.

Amy Smart, The Canadian Press