Heavy rainfall warning for North Vancouver District: what to expect Tuesday and Wednesday
Environment Canada has issued a heavy rainfall warning for Metro Vancouver's North Shore, with 60 to 100 mm of rain forecast from Tuesday morning through Wednesday night. The storm arrives a week after District Fire and Rescue pulled a person from a swollen creek in the Woodlands area.
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Environment Canada has issued a heavy rainfall warning for Metro Vancouver's North Shore, with 60 to 100 mm of rain forecast from Tuesday morning through Wednesday night. The warning arrives a week after District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue pulled a person from a fast-moving creek in the Woodlands area in one of the more demanding rescues the department carried out during last Friday's storm.
What the warning says
The Environment Canada warning covers Metro Vancouver's North Shore. The agency says 60 to 100 mm of rain will fall between Tuesday morning and Wednesday night, with totals near 120 mm possible in the mountains above the District. The warning carries a moderate impact rating and high forecast confidence.
Environment Canada names three risks: water pooling on roads and in low-lying areas, sudden drops in visibility, and landslides on steep slopes or in areas with recently disturbed ground.
Residents can track the warning at weather.gc.ca and report severe weather using the #BCStorm tag on social media or through the reporting address listed on the Environment Canada site.
The November 7 creek rescue
Last Friday's storm gave District Fire and Rescue one of its harder calls. A person working on a water line near Scott-Goldie Creek in the Woodlands area, north of Deep Cove, was swept in when she lifted a rock and the creek rose suddenly. She managed to call 911 from a nearly dead phone before becoming stranded against a steep bank.
District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services received the call around 12:47 p.m. By then, the Globe and Mail reported, the creek had turned into a fast-moving river from the heavy rain. Crews lowered a rescuer on a rope, attached the person, and pulled her to safety. A tree fell near crew members during the operation.
Assistant Fire Chief Dennis Cappellini told the Globe and Mail the rescue was treacherous but went well.
Cappellini also issued a warning about creeks during storms: "The currents are strong; even if you have a dog that's a really good swimmer, be careful with your pets as you would be with yourself."
Scott-Goldie Creek drains the slopes above Deep Cove. During heavy rain events, creeks in the District, including those through Lynn Valley, Capilano Canyon and the lower slopes of Mount Seymour, can rise in minutes.
The wider storm picture
The weekend storms affected British Columbia broadly. BC Hydro says nearly 415,000 customers across the province lost power during the two storms that struck on November 7 and 8. By November 9, the utility had restored power to 99 per cent of affected customers. BC Hydro reported 6,000 customers still without power as of that update. The hardest-hit region was the Central Interior, particularly around Prince George.
What comes next
After Tuesday and Wednesday's heavy rain, Environment Canada's forecast for the District shows continued rain through the week, without the warning-level amounts of the Tuesday to Wednesday period. Temperatures are expected to stay between 7 and 13 degrees Celsius.
The District of North Vancouver has a landslide and steep-slope warning system for areas including the Woodlands community, where last Friday's rescue took place. Residents in hillside areas who see signs of slope movement, water flowing across surfaces that do not normally run, or new cracks in the ground are asked to contact the District. The North Shore Local noted in its November 5 rainfall alert that Environment Canada had flagged this series of storms as the first in a sequence of wet and windy systems expected to reach the region in November.
Councillor Jordan Back made a campaign commitment to strengthen the District's resilience to flooding and severe storms, and Councillor Catherine Pope committed to upgrading infrastructure for heat, fire, flood and storm resilience. Both commitments are tracked at /bc/north-vancouver-district-2026/tracker.
What residents can do now
- Clear storm drains: Remove fallen leaves from drains near your property before Tuesday morning. Blocked drains cause water to pool on roads and can back up into basements.
- Stay away from creeks and rivers: District Fire and Rescue's warning from last Friday applies equally this week. Creeks in Lynn Valley, Deep Cove and the lower mountain slopes can rise fast and without warning during heavy rain.
- Watch for road hazards: Environment Canada warns of sudden drops in visibility and water pooling on roads, particularly on the Upper Levels Highway and roads with steep runoff.
- Monitor active warnings: The Environment Canada page for North Vancouver District is at weather.gc.ca. New warnings for landslide-prone areas in the District are posted there when they are issued.
- Report severe weather: Use the #BCStorm tag on social media or submit a report through the Environment Canada weather page at weather.gc.ca.
The next Regular Council meeting for the District is Monday, November 16 at 7 p.m. at District Hall, 355 West Queens Road.
Questions this story answers
What is the rainfall warning for North Vancouver District?
Environment Canada has issued a heavy rainfall warning for Metro Vancouver's North Shore. The agency says 60 to 100 mm of rain is expected from Tuesday morning through Wednesday night, with totals near 120 mm possible in the mountains above the District. The warning carries a moderate impact rating and high forecast confidence.
When will the heavy rain hit North Vancouver District?
Environment Canada says the heavy rain will arrive Tuesday morning and continue through Wednesday night. After that, the forecast calls for continued rain through the week, though without the warning-level amounts of the Tuesday to Wednesday period.
What risks does the rainfall warning name?
Environment Canada names three specific risks: water pooling on roads and in low-lying areas, sudden drops in visibility, and landslides in areas with steep slopes or recently disturbed ground. After last week's storm, District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue noted that creeks can rise fast and become dangerous for people and animals.
What happened at Scott-Goldie Creek on November 7?
District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue responded to a call around 12:47 p.m. on Friday, November 7. A person had been swept into Scott-Goldie Creek in the Woodlands area, north of Deep Cove, while working on a water line near the creek. Crews lowered a rescuer on a rope and pulled the person to safety. Assistant Fire Chief Dennis Cappellini told the Globe and Mail the rescue was treacherous but went well. A tree fell near crew members during the operation.
What safety advice did District fire crews give after the November 7 rescue?
Assistant Fire Chief Dennis Cappellini told the Globe and Mail that creek currents become powerful during storms and warned people to keep pets away from waterways, saying the currents are strong enough to endanger a good swimmer. District residents are advised to stay away from creeks and rivers when rain is heavy.
How many customers lost power during the November weekend storms?
BC Hydro says nearly 415,000 customers across British Columbia lost power during the two storms that struck over the weekend of November 7 and 8. By November 9, BC Hydro had restored power to 99 per cent of affected customers. The hardest-hit region was the Central Interior, particularly around Prince George.
What should residents do to prepare for the heavy rain warning?
Environment Canada advises residents to monitor alerts at weather.gc.ca and to report severe weather using the #BCStorm tag on social media or through the reporting address on the Environment Canada site. The North Shore Local, citing an earlier Environment Canada statement, advised residents to clear fallen leaves from storm drains, monitor areas near rivers, creeks and culverts for washouts, and watch for sudden drops in visibility on roads.
Where can I track the rainfall warning and promise tracker for North Vancouver District?
The active weather warning for North Vancouver District is at weather.gc.ca. The promise tracker for North Vancouver District's elected councillors, including Councillor Jordan Back's commitment to strengthen resilience to flooding and severe storms, is at /bc/north-vancouver-district-2026/tracker.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
- Environment Canada: Weather warning for Metro Vancouver North Shore, November 9, 2026weather.gc.ca
- The Globe and Mail: North Vancouver woman rescued after being swept into creek during B.C. storm, November 8, 2026theglobeandmail.com
- The North Shore Local: Alert: Heavy rainfall in forecast for North Shore, November 5, 2026thenorthshorelocal.com
- BC Hydro: Power restored to 99 per cent of customers impacted by weekend storms, November 9, 2026bchydro.com
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