If you didn’t know it was November in Victoria, you might think it’s spring. Today the city is enjoying unseasonably bright and warm conditions! Temperatures are soaring to record or near-record levels in many Greater Victoria communities this afternoon.

The sunny, warm weather is thanks to the jet stream taking a sharp turn to the north, keeping high pressure in place over the capital region and southeastern B.C. The atmospheric river (aka. Pineapple Express), which is bringing moist air from the subtropics and aiming it at Vancouver Island and the B.C. Coast, is a little farther north of the Capital Region today, which is why locations up island today are still under rainfall and wind warnings, but the greater Victoria area is sunny and warm. Temperatures should be upwards of 17 degrees this afternoon!

People in Port Alberni would probably love to have some of this weather as they continue to deal with a steady stream of rain. The Alberni Valley is bracing for another 40-50mm of rain today, while Gold River and Strathcona park are expecting another 60mm before the rain eases tonight.

That’s not good news for an area where the ground is already near saturation and can’t absorb much more water, if any. In the first 7 days of the month, Port Alberni received 244.6mm of rain. That’s nearly two-thirds of a month’s worth of rain in one week! The average amount of rainfall for the entire month of November is 375.7mm.

Other island communities are getting soaked, too. From Zeballos to Tahsis, through Woss and Port Alice another 40-70mm rain is falling today, while Tofino and Ucluelet are in for another 20-30mm before the rain shifts south tonight. That’s when the slow-moving front reaches Victoria and pours rain on the Capital Region.

Flooding is a real concern right now, especially in the Alberni Valley. The B.C River Forecast Centre has a Flood Watch in effect for:

  • Central Vancouver Island including Sproat River, Somass River and surrounding creeks and tributaries near Port Alberni
  • Courtenay (Puntledge) River
  • East Vancouver Island including the Browns River, Tsolum River, Oyster River, and surrounding creeks in the Bowser, Courtenay and Campbell River area

A High Streamflow Advisory remains in effect for:

  • West Vancouver Island including Tofino Creek, and surrounding creeks and tributaries
  • North Vancouver Island including Zeballos River, Gold River, and surrounding creeks and tributaries
  • Salmon River near Sayward

There is some good news. Everyone will get a break from the rain tomorrow.  A ridge builds briefly to give some sunshine to the island.

But by Thursday, another atmospheric river sets its sights on Vancouver Island and that means more rain, heavy at times, for north, west and inland Vancouver Island. At least it’s mild!