Vancouver's going to be sticking with grey skies and rainy days for the foreseeable future.
An active pattern will be hanging above Metro Vancouver for the next week, says Environment Canada meteorologist Nan Lu, which means showers and warm temperatures for the most part.
Except when heavier rains are expected.
Monday, Dec. 16, is predicted to be much like the recent weather. Skies will remain overcast with light rain during the day and some showers at night. Temperatures are forecast to stay around normal (a high of 5 C and low of 3 C), according to Environment Canada.
Tuesday, Dec. 17, will start off much the same, before getting much wetter, says Lu.
"The latest models do suggest a stronger system impacting the south coast late Tuesday and early Wednesday, which could bring some heavier rain into the region," she says.
While where the worst of the rain will land is uncertain, Lu says precipitation highs of between 40 to 80 mm are likely. A rainfall warning may be issued Monday if the forecast shows regions are likely to get more than 50 mm over 24 hours.
"80 is a big number, but the models do have some quite high amounts," says Lu. "It could be below warning, but I think many regions (in the Lower Mainland) will have a warning."
The Tuesday night storm will be the worst of it, though.
"I don't think we have any system as strong as the Tuesday night one," says Lu. "But we'll be staying in this active pattern, so we'll see a series of weather systems impacting the south coast, bringing periods of rain with wind."
While the storm will last into the early hours of Wednesday, things will calm down, and the day will mostly see showers, she says. A high of 11 C is expected, a couple of degrees above normal.
"I think it's a few degrees above seasonal, but it's still considered normal for us," says Lu.
The active pattern (with showers and above-average temperatures) is the most likely weather for next week as well, but Lu says there's still a lot of uncertainty when it comes to Dec. 24 and 25.
"It's still, I think, periods of rain and mainly cloudy," she says of the weather for Christmas Eve and Day. "I don't see a cool down; it doesn't look like it's going to be a white Christmas."
Stay up-to-date with hyperlocal forecasts across 50 neighbourhoods in the Lower Mainland with V.I.A.'s Weatherhood.
