Evacuation alerts lifted in Pemberton as flood risk lessens on B.C.'s South Coast

British Columbia's River Forecast Centre has downgraded flood advisories across the province's South Coast as a stretch of warm, wet weather eases.

The centre has lifted a flood warning for the Lillooet and Squamish rivers, saying flows remain high but the rainfall and snowmelt are tapering off.

The Village ofPembertonhas rescinded evacuation alerts for several dozen properties whose residents had been told to leave on short notice as waters rose.

"Based on forecasts and current observations on the ground, things are currently looking favourable," said Pemberton emergency program officer Sarah Toews.

"We're cautiously optimistic that the kind of worst impacts have passed."

Environment Canada has also lifted a rainfall warning for the Howe Sound area, including Squamish.

A flood watch remains in effect for the Sproat and Somass rivers on Vancouver Island, while lower-level streamflow advisories cover the rest of the South Coast.

Avalanche Canada, meanwhile, says conditions remain "very dangerous" in alpine areas throughout the Sea to Sky corridor, including mountains surrounding Whistler, Squamish andPemberton.

"Hunting for dry snow in the alpine will put you closest to harm's way," says the latest bulletin posted by the agency for that region.

Environment Canada says another round of daily high-temperature records fell across southwestern B.C. on Wednesday, with West Vancouver reaching 17.9 C, almost three degrees higher than the previous Jan. 31 record set in 1993.

WATCH | Evacuees water-ski through flooded ditch in Pemberton, B.C.:

Pemberton resident water-skis in ditch as B.C. village floods

8 months ago

Duration 0:29

With snow melting and water rising, Jonathan Rollins took to the ditches of Pemberton, B.C., for some winter water-skiing.

The River Forecast Centre says rain from the warm air system is expected to ease Friday, and cooler conditions should arrive by the weekend.

An earlier update from the centre said rainfall since last Friday ranged from 70 to more than 500 millimetres across the South Coast, while unseasonable warmth added between 75 and 150 millimetres of snowmelt earlier this week.

Elsewhere in B.C., the province is shutting down 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 to reduce flood risk.

A statement said a detour will be available through Redrooffs Road.