Flood warning for Liard River and region

The flood watch issued by the River Forecast Centre for Liard River and its tributaries around Fort Nelson and Highway 97 was upgraded to a flood warning at 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

The area under the warning spans from the northeasternmost corner of the province towards Watson Lake in the west and Milligan Hills, several hours north of Fort St. John, in the south. 

Steady seasonal warming led to high snowmelt and runoff last week. This, as well as high precipitation from a storm system in the region, led to additional input into the rivers. The weather is expected to continue through the upcoming week, with moderate precipitation expected in the flooded region.

The Liard River at Upper Crossing is currently experiencing a ten-year flow and is continuing to rise. The high flow is expected to continue and increase.

Flood warnings are the highest level of warning that the River Forecast Centre issues in B.C. It means a river has exceeded its banks or will do so imminently, and areas neighboring the river will likely experience flooding.