B.C. storms hitting coast one after another

Strong winds and heavy rain are not unusual for B.C.'s coast this time of year, but multiple systems coming back-to-back are, says Environment Canada.

"This is number three already," said Environment Canada Forecaster Greg Pearce. "And it looks like a stronger one on Tuesday that'll be quite a mild, wet and windy storm, and then it looks like another storm on Wednesday."

Environment Canada says the two moist Pacific storms will bring 80 to 120 millimetres of rain to the North Shore of Metro Vancouver and Howe Sound by Monday morning.

The storms expected next week will bring winds gusting up to 90 kilometres per hour and daily rainfall of up to 80 millimetres.

Strong winds caused some damage along B.C.'s coast Saturday while close to 9,000 BC Hydro customers were without power for parts of the day.

BC Ferries was forced to cancel some sailings between Comox and Powell River due to high winds.

Comox Valley residents were under a boil water advisory after the intense rainfall caused turbidity levels to rise in Comox Lake and the Puntledge River.

Environment Canada issued warnings and special weather statements for the southern B.C. coast, with gusts of up to 110 kilometres per hour expected in some areas.

Pearce says the storms will taper off before intensifying again as parts of B.C. still have special weather statements in effect.

"We'll get a bit of a break," he said about the remainder of the weekend.

On Sunday, the rain held off as hundreds of thousands of people were in downtown Vancouver for the 12th annual Rogers Santa Claus parade.

"The timing is a little difficult when we have these fast-moving systems," said Pearce. "It's pretty hard to pinpoint it down to the exact hour ... when the next storm hits."