VANCOUVER — Powerful winds and rain are pummeling British Columbia's coast as back-to-back storm systems move across the province this weekend.
Environment Canada issued warnings and special weather statements for the southern B.C. coast, with gusts of up to 110 kilometres per hour expected in some areas.
Vancouver Island was hit especially hard, with over 5,700 customers without power at one point. B.C. Hydro said that number had dropped to about 680 on Saturday afternoon.
Nearly 2,900 customers were in the dark in the Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast, and about 120 lacked power in Kamloops.
BC Ferries cancelled multiple sailings due to high winds, including between Comox and Powell River and between Tsawwassen and Southern Gulf Islands.
Comox Valley residents were under a boil water advisory after the intense rainfall caused turbidity levels to rise in Comox Lake and the Puntledge River.
Environment Canada says the two moist Pacific storms will bring 80 to 120 millimetres of rain to the North Shore of Metro Vancouver and Howe Sound by Monday morning.
Several more storms are set to hit the south coast early next week, with winds gusting up to 90 kilometres per hour and daily rainfall of up to 80 millimetres.