Up to 100 km/h winds, heavy rain in store for Vancouver Island

More heavy rain and strong winds are in the forecast for Vancouver Island Tuesday as part of a series of storms hitting B.C.’s South Coast.

A wind warning is in effect for Greater Victoria, the Southern Gulf Islands, the Malahat Highway between Goldstream and Mill Bay, and the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Forecasters say westerly winds with gusts up to 100 km/h will begin Tuesday evening and last until Wednesday morning.

“Local utility outages are possible. Secure loose objects. Stay away from fallen power lines,” Environment and Climate Change Canada writes.

Wind gusts up to 80 km/h are expected inland near Cowichan Valley and to the east near Duncan.

The latest windstorm comes after power was knocked out for tens of thousands of customers on Vancouver Island Monday.

A rainfall warning overlaps with the wind warning in Greater Victoria, the Southern Gulf Islands and the Malahat Highway, and extends to eastern Vancouver Island near Duncan.

The agency says up to 60 millimetres of rain will fall by Tuesday evening.

“Water will likely pool on roads and in low-lying areas. Allow extra time for travel. Watch for washouts near rivers, creeks and culverts,” the notice reads.

A flood watch remains in place for all of Vancouver Island, which means rivers are rising and might exceed their banks.