--- title: "Storm forces BC Ferries cancellations and power outages across British Columbia" description: "A series of storms is hitting BC's coast on November 6, 2026, cancelling BC Ferries sailings on major routes, cutting power to thousands of customers and triggering evacuation and wave hazard alerts." canonical_url: "https://voche.me/bc/provincial-2026/news/bc-storm-bc-ferries-power-outages-november-2026" last_updated: "2026-11-06T21:02:59.910Z" --- A powerful storm system hit British Columbia's coast on November 6, 2026, cancelling BC Ferries sailings on several major routes and leaving thousands of BC Hydro customers without power. Environment Canada says this is the first in a series of storms expected to bring heavy rain and wind to the province through next week. ## What is happening with BC Ferries BC Ferries has cancelled multiple sailings due to high winds and rough conditions in the Strait of Georgia. The affected routes include: - **Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay**: four morning sailings cancelled - **Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay**: six sailings cancelled in the morning, with additional afternoon and evening sailings also cancelled - **Tsawwassen to Southern Gulf Islands**: sailings cancelled through early afternoon - **Tsawwassen to Duke Point**: multiple sailings affected - **Little River to Westview**, **Buckley Bay to Denman Island**, **Campbell River to Quadra Island**, and several other coastal routes also affected BC Ferries says customers with a booking on a cancelled sailing will be contacted by its Customer Service Centre to arrange a later sailing or receive a refund of fares and fees. Customers are advised to check the BC Ferries website for current cancellation information before heading to any terminal. The cancellations come as Environment and Climate Change Canada issued a wind warning for parts of Metro Vancouver, with gusts reaching up to 70 kilometres per hour by Friday afternoon. On the Coquihalla Highway and the Okanagan Connector, gusts are forecast between 60 and 80 kilometres per hour. As a cold front pushes through, gusts could reach 90 kilometres per hour in some BC Interior mountain passes. ## Rainfall and river levels Environment Canada issued a yellow-level rainfall warning on November 6 for parts of Metro Vancouver. Higher-elevation areas of the North Shore and southern Howe Sound can receive up to 80 millimetres. The North Shore and Coquitlam area can expect up to 50 millimetres. The heaviest rain is expected through Friday, with conditions easing overnight. The BC River Forecast Centre issued a High Streamflow Advisory for BC's South Coast, Central Coast, and several areas on Vancouver Island. River levels are rising or expected to rise quickly, with the highest flows on Friday, possibly causing localized flooding in low-lying areas. The advisory is not a flood warning: major flooding is not expected at this time. ## Power outages Global News BC reported on November 6 that thousands of BC Hydro customers are without power. The hardest-hit areas are the Lower Mainland and the Sunshine Coast, northern Vancouver Island, and parts of southern Vancouver Island. BC Hydro warned before the storm that the summer's wildfire season has made the province more vulnerable to outages. In a report titled The new reality: Emergency season is year-round, the utility said drought, prolonged heat and wildfire damage have weakened trees and root systems. Those weakened trees may stand through the fire season but fall when the first major windstorm arrives. BC Hydro crews replaced 1,265 power poles and 110 transformers during the 2026 wildfire season. The utility has tripled its annual spending on vegetation management to about $150 million, to identify and remove hazardous trees near power lines. Customers can track outages through the BC Hydro mobile app or at bchydro.com/outages. Anyone who sees a downed or damaged power line should stay at least 10 metres away and call 911. ## Evacuation alert in Zeballos The Village of Zeballos, on northern Vancouver Island, issued an evacuation alert on November 6 for some properties on Ferris Road, Pandora Crescent and Maquinna Avenue due to the risk of a landslide. Residents in the affected areas should be ready to leave immediately if ordered to do so. An evacuation alert means a hazard has been identified but conditions have not yet reached the level that requires departure right now. ## Wave hazard at Pacific Rim National Park Parks Canada issued an extreme wave hazard advisory for beaches, shorelines and coastal waters in and around Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, in effect from November 6 to 8. Wave heights are expected to reach up to 7 metres on Friday and up to 8 metres on Saturday and into Sunday. Parks Canada says beaches can go from completely dry to several feet underwater in seconds. Anyone planning to visit the reserve should stay off beaches and away from shorelines through the weekend. ## More storms to come Global News BC meteorologist Mark Madryga said Friday's storm is the first in a series. A second storm is set to arrive Saturday night, and another wet stretch returns Monday night through the remainder of the week. Total forecast rainfall for the next week ranges from 250 to 600 millimetres on west Vancouver Island and from 100 to 300 millimetres in the Lower Mainland, depending on the weather model. If you are travelling to or from Vancouver Island or the Gulf Islands by ferry, check the BC Ferries website before leaving home. If you are in an area under an evacuation alert, keep emergency supplies ready and monitor alerts from your local authority. ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/bc/provincial-2026/sitemap.md) for all pages.