Several BC Ferries sailings from the south Island to the Lower Mainland are cancelled ahead of anticipated strong winds Tuesday (Nov. 19) evening.
Boats between Swartz Bay in North Saanich and Tsawwassen are cancelled at 7 and 9 p.m. as a result of Environment Canada’s deteriorating weather forecast for high winds in the Strait of Georgia.
The final scheduled sailings today will be the 5 p.m. departures from each terminal, Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay.
Some sailings up Island are also cancelled. BC Ferries encourages customers to follow the agency’s Current Conditions page for updates or call 1-888-223-3779 for further assistance.
The cancelled trips come as Environment and Climate Change Canada renewed its call for caution as winds are expected to hit the south coast of B.C.
A significant fall storm is expected to bring easterly winds gusting to 90 to 100 km/h across Greater Victoria, the Sunshine Coast, Southern Gulf Islands and east and inland of Vancouver Island.
While some areas can also expect heavy rain at times, winds remain the primary concern.
“A rapidly deepening low-pressure system will arrive approximately 400 km southwest of Vancouver Island by late this afternoon. This low is forecast to then curl northwards on Wednesday towards the Central Coast, remaining offshore through the period,” Environment Canada said in a wind warning. Winds are expected to peak Wednesday (Nov. 20) morning and ease later in the day.
The winds, waves and high tide could combine to create a situation where coastal communities see the ocean exceeding highest astronomical tide, notes a weather advisory issued Tuesday afternoon.
Hazards include waves crashing ashore causing minor flooding and potentially rolling logs and other debris on beaches.
Storm surge from gale to storm-force southeast winds combined with seasonably high tide will produce elevated water levels for areas near the water across the south coast on Wednesday. Coastal flooding is possible along exposed shorelines, especially in low-lying areas.
