The town of Pemberton has eased an evacuation order for six rural properties, but flood warnings remain in effect for the Lillooet and Squamish rivers as a latest torrent of rain mixed with melting snow saturates southwestern British Columbia.
The town's latest update said the evacuation order was lifted due to conditions on the ground, as well as forecasts and "favorable weather."
Still, he said river levels are expected to continue rising through Friday, and several dozen properties remain on evacuation alert, with residents told to be ready to leave at short notice.
A bulletin from BC's River Forecast Center said rainfall since last Friday has ranged from 70 to more than 500 millimeters across the South Coast, while unseasonable heat has added between 75 and 150 millimeters of snowmelt in recent days.
He said rain was expected to ease on Friday and colder temperatures were expected to arrive at the weekend after parts of the Lower Mainland rose above 18C this week.
Meanwhile, Environment Canada has issued a rain warning for the Howe Sound area, including Squamish, saying another 50 millimeters of rain could fall Thursday morning.
Days of heavy rain and melting ice due to record temperatures have overflowed rivers, causing flooding and warnings. Pemberton, BC, remains under a local state of emergency as evacuation orders have been eased for six properties in the area. As Zahra Premji explains, experts say more relief could be coming, but they're not sure how long it will last.
Meanwhile, Avalanche Canada said a combination of heavy rain and snow has created dangerous conditions in alpine areas along the Sea to Sky corridor, including the mountains surrounding Whistler, Squamish and Pemberton.
"Looking for dry snow in the mountains will put you closer to danger," said an agency bulletin released Wednesday afternoon.
Elsewhere in British Columbia, the province will close Highway 101 at Trout Lake, just east of Halfmoon Bay on the Sunshine Coast, between 7:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. so crews can improve culverts and reduce risk of floods.
A statement said a diversion will be available via Redrooffs Road.
