
Photo via BC River Forecast Centre
The B.C. River Forecast Centre has upgraded a high streamflow advisory for Spius Creek and the Lower Nicola River downstream of Spius Creek to a flood watch.
It is one of three waterways in the Southern Interior under a flood watch Friday afternoon, with rain in the forecast.
The others watches are in the East Okanagan including Mission Creek and tributaries east of Vernon, Kelowna, Penticton as well as the West Kettle River and its surrounding tributaries.
“A low-pressure system is expected to impact the BC Interior, bringing unsettled weather and repeated periods of moderate to heavy rainfall across the region on Friday and into the weekend,” the River Forecast Centre said.
As much as 15 mm of rain is expected though most of the Southern Interior though to Saturday, though the Monashee Mountains, areas east of the Okanagan valley, and into the Boundary region could see as much as 50 mm of rain.
“There is still uncertainty in this weekend’s forecast, in particular the locations and amounts of rainfall,” the River Forecast Centre added. “Current forecasting is indicating areas around the Okanagan and Boundary are expected to see the highest rainfall amounts and river.”
Several other areas remain on a high streamflow advisory, including the Nicola River and its upstream tributaries, the Salmon River near Salmon Arm, the Deadman River, Bonaparte River, as well as Cache Creek and the surrounding tributaries, west of Kamloops.