‘Significant rainfall:’ Nanaimo likely to avoid brunt of September storm

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Weather warnings in place for western Vancouver Island at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 1. (Image Credit: Environment and Climate Change Canada)

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'Significant rainfall:' Nanaimo likely to avoid brunt of September storm

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While no warnings or alerts are currently in place for east Vancouver Island, rain and wind are expected for Nanaimo and Oceanside on Wednesday, with winds gusting up to 70 kilometres an hour in coastal areas of Oceanside overnight Tuesday and into Wednesday morning.

A special weather statement is in place for areas north of Zeballos, including Bella Bella and Prince Rupert, warning of heavy rain and strong winds causing streams to rise rapidly, along with potential for landslides.

The BC Wildfire Service says in its update that the province is set for more “fall-like” weather with increased relative humidity and seasonal temperatures, but cautions that drought conditions persist in the southern Interior and southeastern B.C.

Astronomical fall officially begins in B.C. on Sept. 22, while Sept. 1 is regarded as the start of meteorological fall.

Katsademas said once this “first shot” of fall weather moves out of the area by Thursday morning, skies should be mostly rain-free to start the new school semester, at least on Vancouver Island.

“I think central BC to kind of Alberta is going to get some showers, but the island should stay clear for the middle parts of September into the end, and then…it’s hard to say, but there could be some of those shots of fall showers coming in later, middle of the month, and later on that could still impact the area.”

An “unprecedented” El Niño climate pattern is currently forming in the Pacific Ocean, with weather experts saying there’s a very good chance temperatures will be at least one degree above average this winter, with a 70 per cent chance we’ll see temperatures higher than in the last 100 years.

Last Month

While wet weather is in the immediate forecast, August was mostly an average month weather-wise on the mid-Island, varying a bit in the northern parts of the island.

The mean temperature last month in Nanaimo was 18.8 degrees (Celsius), less than a full degree above normal, with 27.6 millimetres of rain falling, about 97 per cent of average.

Further up island, the Comox region had a mean temperature of 19.1 last month, a bit over one degree warmer than normal, and only around 30 per cent of its regular rainfall with 9.7 millimetres.

Meanwhile, Campbell River received 36 millimetres, about 80 per cent of normal, and was less than a full degree above the average temperature for August, with a mean temperature of 18.1.

— with files from The Canadian Press.

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