Flood warnings issued in B.C. as weather system approaches

VANCOUVER — Emergency officials in British Columbia are warning of flooding along the Columbia River in the southeastern corner of the province bordering Alberta.

A flood warning was issued Saturday for areas along the upper part of the river, including the mountain communities of Revelstoke, B.C. and Golden, B.C., in the wake of accelerating snowmelt and an approaching weather system.

B.C.’s River Forecast Centre says the flood warning also applies to the Kootenay River area including Kootenay National Park and the Lardeau River in the West Kootenay region.

A flood warning means river levels have reached or are expected to exceed the tops of their banks imminently, and that flooding of areas adjacent to the rivers will happen.

All three areas were previously under a flood warning, which means that that flooding may be happening as river levels rise.

The River Forecast Centre has also upgraded a stream flow advisory to a flood watch for the North Thompson River including tributaries around Blue River, Clearwater and surrounding areas.

The agency has maintained flood watches for the West Kootenay including tributaries around Kaslo, Nakusp, Nelson and surrounding areas, as well as the East Kootenay areas south of Invermere, including tributaries around Fairmont Hotsprings, Fernie, Elkford, Kimberley and surrounding area.

The various warnings from provincial officials came as the Environment Canada issued special weather statements for Yoho Park-Kootenay Park, the northern half of the East Kootenay region, including Invermere, the southern half of the East Kootenay region, including Cranbrook, B.C., and the Elk Valley.

Environment Canada said in the statements that a potent Alberta low-pressure system will bring moderate to heavy rain to southeastern B.C. this weekend and into early next week.

The agency says uncertainty still surrounds the exact path of the system and rainfall amounts will vary greatly across southeastern B.C., from a low of 40 milimetres to a high of 80 milimetres for communities and highways closest to the Alberta boundary.

“There is an elevated risk of flooding, landslides and washouts from heavy rain, and rain on snow in the mountains,” it reads.

Six properties in Golden remain under an evacuation alert, while officials in Nelson have cancelled an evacuation alert for the 165 properties in the Six Mile Duhamal Creek community north of Nelson.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2026.

Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press