As strong winds and rain from an offshore cyclone hit the Sunshine Coast on Oct. 24 and 25, trees were pushed onto power lines and thousands of residents lost power.
A special weather warning was in effect for the Sunshine Coast and the south coastal region, after a rapidly deepening cyclone approached waters off the southern B.C. coast on Saturday night. Environment Canada reported a frontal system associated with the cyclone caused winds on Sunday and into Monday.
On Oct. 24, the Sechelt weather station recorded 15.4 millimetres of rain and wind gusts reaching 64 kilometres per hour. The next day, Monday, 21.5 mm of rain and a maximum gust of wind reaching 66 km/h were recorded in Sechelt.
The weather warning included exposed coastal sections of East Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast, as well as Texada, Quadra, Denman and Hornby islands, where strong winds continued Monday but eased off in the afternoon.
BC Hydro also issued a regional alert for the Sunshine Coast, Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island. Thousands on the Sunshine Coast lost power on Oct. 24, from Gibsons to Egmont.
In Sechelt, more than 10,000 residences experienced power outages due to trees falling on wires. More power outages were reported on the Coast for Monday evening and Tuesday morning.
As of mid-morning on Oct. 25, more than 1,500 residences on the Coast were still affected. Crews were working to restore power to Gambier and Bowen islands on Monday morning.
BC Hydro’s regional alerts said repairs to power in parts of the coastal areas were made more difficult with BC Ferries cancelling sailings on 11 routes Monday morning.
One of the cancelled routes, between Horseshoe Bay and Nanaimo’s Departure Bay, affected service to the Sunshine Coast on Route 3.
While Route 3 between Langdale and Horseshoe Bay was not cancelled, several evening sailings were adjusted, as the Nanaimo-based vessel that usually transports Sunshine Coast passengers in the later part of the day was not available until 8:45 p.m.
Record rain
This October has been the rainiest on record for at least 14 years, according to Environment Canada’s records dating back to 2007.
Between Oct. 1 and the end of Oct. 25, about 237 mm had fallen so far this month, as another downpour and strong gusts of wind hit the Coast earlier in October.
Cliff Gilker Park in Roberts Creek remains closed after a hazard tree was found hanging above power lines and the main access road on Thursday, Oct. 21. That day, the Sechelt weather station recorded gusts up to 66 km/h.
“Due to the proximity of this tree to live power lines, the SCRD is engaging a qualified contractor to facilitate the tree removal,” Aidan Buckley, the SCRD’s manager of communications, said in a press release.
The public is urged to remain clear of the area, and not block access to the park or the main gate so that crews can go in to clear the tree.
After the windstorm of Oct. 24 and 25, one of the bridges in Cliff Gilker Park will require extensive repairs and a timeline for reopening has not been determined, Buckley said.
The SCRD is also cautioning trail users after reports of downed trees, debris and high water levels in creeks.
Any trails closed for safety will be marked.
Anyone who sees a downed tree on an SCRD trail is asked to call 604-885-6802.
