Wagstaffe's weather: Heavy rain returns to Vancouver

Another weekend, another round of heavy rain for Vancouver.

A new Pacific storm system is heading for the B.C. coast that will bring steady rain from Friday morning through to Saturday afternoon.

Rainfall warnings are now in place from Environment Canada for much of the South Coast with 50 to 80 mm of rain is expected by the end of Saturday.

Wash-out Friday

Showers will begin to spread from the west heading east on Friday morning, and will ramp up to steady rain by the afternoon. The rain will fall heavily in the evening and winds will also pick up.

Meanwhile, temperatures should remain mild as a southwesterly flow ahead of the front will usher in sub-tropical air.

Snow levels will be rising over the next few days, and the local mountains may still get a few more centimetres of snow Friday morning before precipitation changes to rain. 

Heaviest rain through Saturday morning

Steady rain will continue overnight Friday into Saturday morning before finally tapering off to showers on late Saturday afternoon or early evening. Cleaning the storm drains of fallen leaves will help to minimize localized flooding. 

The cold front will finally slide past Vancouver on Saturday evening, bringing gusty winds but the chance for a few breaks in the clouds before the sun sets.

The heaviest of the rain will fall on the North Shore and Howe Sound — that's where totals may end up over 75 mm.

So far this month, Vancouver has picked up around 25 mm with last weekend's storm. Average monthly rainfall totals for the airport for the entire month of November are some of the highest all year round at around 185 mm. 

Cooler Sunday

Showers will linger behind the cold front for Sunday. That precipitation will likely fall as snow for the local mountains as cool air filters back in.

But Metro Vancouver should get a few late day sunny breaks and a much drier end to the weekend.