Strong winds & rain warnings issued for many areas including Vancouver Island

Wind and rainfall warnings cover much of the British Columbia coast as a wave of stormy weather washes over western parts of the province this week.

Environment Canada says winds gusting up to 110 kilometres per hour are expected over Haida Gwaii, the central coast and northern Vancouver Island.

Heavy rain is also forecast for Kitimat on the north coast, as well as most of Vancouver Island and the Howe Sound region, north of Vancouver.

Rainfall accumulations of 70 millimetres in Kitimat to more than 200 millimetres on western Vancouver Island are likely before the storm eases early Thursday and the weather office says localized flooding is possible, along with potential washouts near rivers, creeks and culverts.

The River Forecast Centre has issued a high streamflow advisory for waterways on Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast and Howe Sound, warning of flows seen every two to five years.

A travel advisory is posted for Highway 4, east of Port Alberni, and crews are watching carefully, as heavy rain could wash debris onto the road from the cliffs above where a wildfire damaged trees and destabilized the soil earlier this year.