Heavy rain expected Friday; flood risks heightened in Okanagan

Flooding and mudslides could be exacerbated by heavy rain expected Friday in the Central Okanagan, South Okanagan and Boundary regions.

Environment Canada issued a special weather statement about the forecast.

As heavy rain combines with a melting mid-high elevation snowpack, it may result in new flooding, exacerbation of existing flooding, and mudslides, according to the statement.

“Showers at times heavy will develop on Friday as the first of multiple systems embedded in the flow arrives. By Friday afternoon, showers will intensify with embedded thunderstorms further increasing precipitation amounts.”

The intensity of the heavy rain will depend upon the embedded thunderstorms, the statement says.

“Nevertheless, the threat for sudden heavy downpours and flash flooding on top of the volatile spring snowmelt conditions remains.”

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