By Canadian Press

Flood watches downgraded in eastern Okanagan, Boundary; upgraded near Fort Nelson

Jun 5, 2022 | 1:34 PM

VANCOUVER — The risk of flooding has dropped in British Columbia’s southern Interior but is rising in the province’s north thanks to changing weather conditions. 

The River Forecast Centre issued a new flood watch for the Liard River and its tributaries today, including areas around the community of Fort Nelson and Highway 97 toward Watson Lake. 

It says steady warming last week led to more snowmelt and run-off in rivers in northern and central B.C., while a storm system added more rain to rivers. 

More rain is forecast today and tomorrow for the Bulkley Valley and Skeena regions, which could cause rivers there to swell, while the Liard is also set to keep rising.

But the forecast centre says the danger has lessened in the eastern Okanagan and Boundary regions, where flood watches have been downgraded to high streamflow advisories. 

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The forecast centre says that while local storms may affect river systems in the area, significant rises are not forecast at this time. 

“Broadly speaking, hydrologic forecasts through the region for the next few days indicate steady or falling streamflow levels, with the provision that smaller systems could see a larger response than forecast due to local convective precipitation that is difficult to forecast,” it says. 

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

The Canadian Press