Heavy rain and wind cause flooding, ferry cancellations

Another storm to follow 24-hour soaking While the sky has brightened slightly, a meteorologist says we're just waiting for the next storm to hit.

The weather warnings have been called off but residents of B.C.'s South Coast are left dealing with a wake of damage Monday after 24 hours of heavy rain and pounding wind.

A storm system that soaked the Lower Mainland and parts of Vancouver Island prompted rainfall warnings from Environment Canada on Sunday, with nearly 90 millimetres of rain falling in parts of the affected area.

"The intensity was outstanding," Environment Canada meteorologist Matt MacDonald told CTV News.

"We picked up 10 millimetres in just one hour, and we only see that about every two years in Vancouver."

Rainfall totals posted by the weather agency Monday morning showed 87 millimetres fell in Squamish, 80 millimetres in West Vancouver, and 74 in Coquitlam and Vancouver.

The rain broke the greatest daily precipitation record set in 2009 in the Squamish area. Port Mellon was hit hard with 104 millimetres falling Sunday, while Port Alberni saw as much as 115.

Some affected areas reported flooding or pooling water. A section of Gilmore Avenue in Burnaby was closed overnight, and a similar situation was reported in Surrey along 150th.

Wind gusts were clocked at about 80 to 90 km/h in some spots, forcing the cancellation of some sailings from local ferry terminals.

The wind and rain calmed by morning, but MacDonald said more wet weather is in the forecast.

"The only dry day this week is going to be Tuesday morning into the afternoon, but then we're waiting for the next storm to arrive," he said.

He warned drivers to be wary of water pooling and localized flooding, which can increase the chances of hydroplaning and accidents.

While the South Coast dealt with dampness, cities further north saw winter weather records shattered. Fort St. John saw the greatest daily snowfall with 13.4 centimetres of the white stuff falling Sunday, and the record for most snow on the ground on Nov. 19 was broken in Terrace, Chetwynd and Burns Lake.

The Coquihalla Highway was closed between Hope and Merritt for six hours due to snow and ice. Highway 99 was also closed between Whistler and Pemberton due to downed power lines, but the Sea to Sky reopened after the problem was cleared.

Snowfall warnings remained in place in the Boundary, Fraser Canyon, Kootenay Lake, Nicola and West Kootenay regions Monday morning. Affected areas were expected to see as much as 20 centimetres of snow, easing in the evening.

Drivers are warned that weather in the mountains can change suddenly, resulting in hazardous conditions and near-zero visibility.

With files from CTV Vancouver's Breanna Karstens-Smith and Marke Driesschen