Dreaded Pineapple Express set to obliterate the snowpack in parts of B.C.

DON'T MISS: A 10,000-km-long, super-straight jet stream poses issues for Canada

Flood threat

No, we won't record the 120 mm of rainfall over 72 hours at YVR like the destructive atmospheric river of 2021, as this atmospheric river will likely be farther north, aimed towards Howe Sound and Central Vancouver Island. There will be an increased landslide risk along the Sunshine Coast, Sea-to-Sky corridor and a sizable portion of Vancouver Island.

It will come in two main atmospheric rivers. Although Friday night and Saturday will feature a relatively moist frontal system, the first Pineapple Express arrives by Sunday afternoon and evening.

During the day on Monday, the atmosphere will stall across Vancouver Island before weakening and moving southeast.

Total rainfall amounts will easily exceed 200 mm for western Vancouver Island (and be locally more than 400 mm in remote regions). Much less amounts are forecast for east Vancouver Island and Greater Victoria, with an uptick across the Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast.

A secondary atmospheric river could follow by next Tuesday, bringing additional heavy rainfall and stressing the swollen waterways.

Soaring freezing levels and a dwindling snowpack

A rule of thumb is as follows: Temperatures of 6-8°C at sea level are a dream to skiers with general alpine snow below 1200 metres. 8-10°C proceed with caution, and mixing is possible. 10-12°C is a writeoff.