(Vancouver) Environment Canada says it has not established a timetable for establishing a classification of atmospheric rivers, the natural phenomenon that caused heavy flooding in British Columbia last fall.
Posted at 1:55 p.m.
British Columbia’s Minister of Public Safety announced seven months ago that he expected such a system to be in place.
An atmospheric river is a meteorological phenomenon that can cause very heavy precipitation in a short time.
Environment Canada’s weather service says it is looking at various scales to describe the intensity of the natural phenomenon. He does not plan to formally establish a classification system in the short term.
It is an atmospheric river that had caused widespread flooding and caused extensive damage to British Columbia’s road network in November.
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said the province could implement a filing system as early as early 2022.
Environment Canada says it is still reviewing the “relevance” of the proposal. Establishing such a system now might be premature.
Meanwhile, BC emergency services say provincial officials plan to use public alerting systems if necessary.