Windstorm brings widespread power outages and damage

PRINCE GEORGE — Thursday morning brought strong winds, later followed by some much needed rain. What was not needed was the power outages and damages caused by the winds, which were peaking at 90 kilometers per hour.

Over 6800 customers lost power in Northern BC, and close to 1600 residents lost power in the Prince George region. The hardest hit region from the storm was central BC, and most power outages were recorded between Burns Lake and Dawson Creek. Communities that were hit hardest were Prince George, Burns Lake, Fort St. James and Vanderhoof.

Dr. Peter Jackson, environmental science professor at UNBC, says that our region has been under a pacific frontal system, and when the winds shift, that will bring warm air to central BC, and heavy precipitation to the south coast, which is an atmospheric river type of event.