UPDATE 2 – ENDED – Heavy rain continues to fall in the BC Peace…

BC NEWS, FORT ST. JOHN

Saturday, June 15, 2024 at 6:29 am. Last updated at 7:14 pm.

UPDATE 2 – The Rainfall Warning has ended for the North Peace region.

As of 5 pm today, 53.9 mm of rain has fallen at the Fort St. John airport. Rainfall will continue in the Dawson Creek area.

The Alaska Highway is between the South Taylor Hill and Dawson Creek continues to have water pooling. Use caution when driving in this area.

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UPDATE 1 – Motorists in the BC Peace, there is water pooling along the Alaska Highway (Hwy 97) between the South Taylor Hill rest stop and Dawson Creek. Use caution as heavy rain continues. As of 12:00 pm.

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Heavy rain continues to fall in the BC Peace region, particularly the Fort St. John region…

At the Fort St. John Airport, as of 5 am, 26.7 mm of rain has fallen. The heavy rain began at 11 pm Friday night.

For the North Peace, an additional 30 mm of rain expected Saturday. Rain will also move into the South Peace and 25 to 30 mm is expected today. The system is expected to move out late Saturday. A reminder that low-lying flooding is a possibility, especially in rural areas and along the Alaska Highway between Fort St. John and Dawson Creek.

A power outage has also occurred in Fort St. John from a fire, according to BC Hydro. The outage was affecting over 2,500 residents at the height of the event, which began just after 3 am. Power has since been restored.

A High Streamflow Advisory was issued on Friday afternoon for the BC Peace due to 60 mm or higher amounts of rain predicted to fall. Below is message from the River Forecast Centre…

“The River Forecast Centre is issuing a High Streamflow Advisory for the Northeast Region including:

• Tributaries of Liard River
• Tributaries of Peace River
• Fort Nelson, Fort St. John, and Dawson Creek
  Weather Synopsis:
  A low-pressure system is expected to pass the Northeast region and bring moderate to heavy rainfall to the Liard River, Peace River, and surrounding basins. The most intensive precipitation is expected to start this evening into tomorrow noon (Saturday). The Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) meteorological model forecast indicates that a total rainfall amount up to 87 mm is expected for this event with heavy local rainfall in short durations. The uncertainty of the forecast rainfall centre, amount, and intensity is high at this moment. The precipitation is expected to ease on Sunday.”

Just to let everyone know, this weather system is NOT affecting the Fort Nelson region like the River Forecast Centre suggests above. It is stationary and is flowing into the BC Peace not the Northern Rockies. That is unfortunate news for the Fort Nelson region as this area is in dire need of rainfall.

Written and released by: Shane Chevalier, PJXM News.