Thousands Without Power After Strong Winds Batter B.C., Outages May Continue Overnight

Strong winds reaching up to 108 km/h swept through British Columbia on Monday, causing widespread power outages. By late afternoon, B.C. Hydro reported approximately 100,000 customers without electricity, predominantly in the Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island, with more affected in the Okanagan and Kootenay regions. Fallen trees and branches, weakened by prolonged drought, knocked down power lines across the region. B.C. Hydro prioritized addressing downed lines and restoring service to critical and municipal services first.

Environment Canada had issued wind warnings, highlighting risks of loose objects causing injury or damage. The storm brought up to 100 millimeters of rain to western Vancouver Island, and heavy snow and strong winds to mountain passes such as the Coquihalla and Kootenay Pass, where snow accumulations could reach 20 centimeters. The storm follows an atmospheric river event two weeks prior that caused fatalities and extensive flooding on the South Coast.