‘Rain cyclone’ expected to hit the shores of Vancouver Island this Thursday

A ‘rain cyclone’ is expected to side-swipe BC’s southern coast on Thursday, January 5th, bringing rainfall and high winds along with it.

This means that a storm system is approaching and that it rotates around the centre of low atmospheric pressures. Winds could reach between 70 and 100 km/h.

https://twitter.com/BCWeather101/status/1609951225235271681?s=20&t=iBJ-uFP9XKtnAMJph0JnEQ

The same storm reached as far south as California and has been dubbed a ‘bomb cyclone’ to those who face the brunt of this weather system. 

California declared a state of emergency due to flooding and heavy wind damage from the storm on Wednesday. Maximum wind gusts reached up to 130 km/h in the state. 

The rainfall that’s been causing lots of flooding in San Francisco’s Bay area is expected to stop on Thursday morning.

As the storm approaches Vancouver Island and the coast of BC, it is weakening, but is still expected to bring with it between 50 and 100 millimetres of rainfall before it is done with the island. 

Tofino and the western side of the island will face winds up to 70 km/h. In the Juan De Fuca Strait, winds are only predicted to be between 40 and 60 km/h.

Nanaimo and Ladysmith along with the rest of the east coast of the island and the Strait of Georgia will bear the worst of the storm, with winds reaching between 70 and 90 km/h.

For Greater Victoria, rainfall is expected to begin in the evening on Wednesday, and continue through until Friday.

Environment Canada has yet to announce a storm watch or a weather alert regarding the incoming storm, but their forecast for Thursday does include high winds and rainfall.

“Wind northeast 20 km/h gusting to 40 except 50 gusting to 70 near Juan de Fuca Strait in the morning and early in the afternoon,” reads Environment Canada’s Thursday forecast.

“Wind becoming southeast 50 gusting to 80 in the afternoon.”

Hope you haven’t tucked away those rain boots just yet, Victoria!