Approaching storm so 'intense' forecasters have issued a weather warning for Vancouver

A person carrying an umbrella is silhouetted against the downtown skyline while walking on the seawall in Stanley Park, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020. (Darryl DyckTHE CANADIAN PRESS)

VANCOUVER — The rain is expected to be so heavy in Metro Vancouver that Environment Canada has issued a warning about it.

The federal forecaster said those in the affected areas, which include Vancouver and suburbs and part of the Sunshine Coast, will be hit with about 50 millimetres of rain in just a few hours.

In its rainfall warning, Environment Canada said heavy rain is expected starting Tuesday night, lasting into Wednesday morning.

It's a lot of rain in a short period of time, and flash flooding is possible, the agency said, blaming the sudden soaking on an "intense Pacific frontal system."

The forecast suggests the rain will taper to scattered showers the next day, but the region is in store for even more wet weather.

Environment Canada's current prediction is rain every day until at least Monday, which is not unusual for this time of year in the area, where historically it rains about 68 per cent of the time.

Wednesday is expected to be a warmer-than-usual 15 C, but the temperature will return to the seasonal norm of 9 by Friday, according to the forecast.