Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / The weather station at the Chilliwack Airport recorded a remarkable wind speed of 85 kilometers an hour at one point Monday, as fierce winds battered the Fraser Valley and coastal areas in the Lower Mainland.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Strong wind gusts

Wind gusts exceeded 80 km/hr Monday in Chilliwack, highest in the Fraser Valley

Nov 5, 2024 | 10:02 AM

CHILLIWACK — Perhaps there was a reason Chilliwack had at least 20 power outages at the height of Monday’s wind storm.

According to Environment Canada, the weather station at the Chilliwack Airport recorded a remarkable wind speed of 85 kilometers an hour at one point Monday, as fierce winds battered the Fraser Valley and coastal areas in the Lower Mainland.

Environment Canada says wind gusts exceeding 100 km/hour were recorded at three Vancouver Island locations, while Chilliwack Airport ranked as the gustiest place in the Fraser Valley.

Vancouver International Airport came close to Chilliwack’s mark with a gust of 77 km/hr, followed by the Alex Fraser Bridge at 76 km/hr, and Langley Airport at 65 km/hr.

Environment Canada had issued now-lifted wind warnings for most of the south and central coast, including Metro Vancouver, where the weather office said gusts of wind were expected to reach speeds of up to 100 kilometres an hour.

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Strong wind gusts

Wind gusts exceeded 80 km/hr Monday in Chilliwack, highest in the Fraser Valley

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British Columbia’s Crown utility says crews have restored power to over 95 per cent of some 290,000 businesses and homes that suffered power outages at some point Monday as strong winds walloped coastal areas and parts of the central Interior.

BC Hydro says crews have been working around the clock to replace dozens of spans of power lines as well as power poles knocked down by toppled trees.

Still, as of 10 a.m. Tuesday morning, there are 13 power outages in Chilliwack affecting over 250 customers.