Stormy weather brought intense lightning strikes to British Columbia’s South Coast overnight, causing disruptions at Vancouver International Airport. The thunderstorm, part of a rare display, led to delays and cancellations as it passed through the region, with traffic at the airport being significantly affected.
CBC meteorologist Johanna Wagstaffe described the storm as a powerful system with hundreds of cloud-to-ground lightning strikes, primarily concentrated in the Vancouver/Richmond area. The storm originated from a low-pressure center that moved onshore near Richmond, carrying a substantial amount of moisture after traveling from the equator.
The severe weather conditions at Vancouver International Airport resulted in multiple flight delays and cancellations from Saturday night to early Sunday morning. The airport stated that departures were halted, and incoming flights faced challenges taxiing to the gates due to safety concerns posed by the lightning activity in the vicinity.
Efforts were underway to normalize operations at the airport, although some flights on Sunday were still experiencing disruptions as the airport collaborated with airlines to address the aftermath of the storm.
Travel advisory alerts for potential road closures
Social media videos depicted significant flooding in certain areas of the airport, adding to the challenges faced by travelers. YVR’s website highlighted ongoing delays and cancellations, advising passengers to verify their flight statuses before heading to the airport.
Moreover, the storm triggered a high streamflow advisory for the Central Interior region, including areas such as Pemberton and its surrounding watersheds, the Chilcotin River, the Bridge River, and the Cariboo River. The B.C. River Forecast Centre anticipated precipitation levels of 20 to 25 millimeters from the storm, with higher amounts of 30 to 60 millimeters expected in specific regions.
Due to heavy rains near Pemberton, a travel advisory was issued for a stretch of Highway 99 between Pemberton and Lillooet, warning of potential road closures with short notice. B.C. Hydro reported numerous power outages during the storm, with over 3,800 customers in the Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast regions left without electricity as of Sunday morning.
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