Photo: Alertable.ca
This map shows areas to the east and northeast of Kamloops with a strong thunderstorm watch on Wednesday morning.
Update: 2:51 PM
The BC River Forecast Center is upgrading a flood warning to a flood warning in the Blue River region as rain continues to hit North Thompson.
The provincial agency upgraded at 2.30 pm on Wednesday. The warning only applies to the Blue River, while the North Thompson, South Thompson and Thompson Rivers remain under flood watch.
“A potentially prolonged rain event is ongoing in the headwaters of South Thompson, North Thompson and Cariboo Mountains and is expected to last through early Thursday,” the River Forecast Center said in a statement.
“The current rainfall over the past 24 hours has been heaviest in the areas around the Caribou Mountains and around Clearwater and the Blue River, with 20 to 50 millimeters of rain falling so far, and additional rain is expected early Thursday.
“There continues to be a significant flood risk through the area from this rainfall event.”
Flood warnings are issued when the water level of the river exceeds bankfull or will do so imminently. Flood monitoring means that the river level is rising and it will approach or exceed bankfull.
A flood warning has also been issued for the Quesnel River in the Caribou Mountains.
This story will be updated as more information becomes known.
Are you in the blue river? send photo or video to [email protected]
Original story: 9:54 am
A strong gale watch is in effect for a large area BC east and northeast of Kamloops, a storm that has the potential to dump large amounts of rain onto an already swollen river system.
Watches are in effect for North Thompson, Shuswap, Northern Columbia and West Columbia – an area that together includes Sun Peaks, Salmon Arm, Clearwater, Blue River and Revelstoke.
“Conditions are favorable for the development of a severe thunderstorm that may be capable of producing strong wind gusts, large hail and heavy rain,” Environment Canada issued the watch.
The agency said strong thunderstorm watches are issued when conditions are favorable for storms that can bring with them large hail, destructive winds or torrential rain.
The City of Kamloops and the BC River Forecasting Center have both said that any heavy rain in the North Thompson or South Thompson watersheds could mean bad news for flooding in the Kamloops area and on the Thompson River.
Kamloops itself is not involved in the severe thunderstorm watch.
Send a photo or video if you see a storm where you are [email protected]
