Third storm heads for already drenched B.C. coast as thousands lost power

VANCOUVER — The third in a series of storms is heading for British Columbia, after wild weather knocked out power to thousands, triggered evacuations and left one person dead over the weekend.

BC Hydro says in a statement that almost 415,000 customers had lost power at some point since Friday, with about 6,000 still without power this morning.

Winds reached as high as 116 kilometres an hour on Herbert Island off northern Vancouver Island, with Victoria’s airport reaching 96 kilometres an hour and 70 kilometres an hour in places such as Prince George, Bella Bella, Tofino and Hope.

In Surrey, B.C., a driver died Saturday after two vehicles became trapped under a fallen tree.

Environment Canada issued wind warnings and special statements predicting heavy rain across large swaths of the province over the next few days.

In Haida Gwaii and North Vancouver Island, heavy winds are expected into Monday afternoon with gusts up to 110 kilometres an hour and a second low-pressure system following with winds likely to reach warning criteria again.

A special weather statement covering most of B.C.’s coast and Vancouver Island says a strong and potent series of storms will approach the B.C. coast from Tuesday through Thursday, bringing heavy rain, particularly in upslope terrain and higher elevations.

It says the rain event follows several low-pressure systems that have already drenched the region in recent days, triggering an evacuation order for about 30 properties in the village of Zeballos on the northwest coast of Vancouver Island.

Environment Canada says there remains uncertainty about the exact amount of rain that’s coming and which regions will be affected the most, but some areas are expected to see gusty southerly winds.

It says high precipitation could lead to water pooling in areas with poor drainage, worsening localized flooding concerns, especially in communities already hit hard by significant rain.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2026.

The Canadian Press