Environment Canada said thunderstorms are expected Wednesday night in areas east of Golden and Creston to the Alberta border.
Environment Canada issued a thunderstorm warning for parts of the Southern Interior, including the Kootenay region.
Environment Canada said late-season thunderstorms are possible Wednesday, bringing very strong wind gusts and locally heavy rainfall to the Fraser Valley, North Thompson, South Thompson, Nicola Valley, Similkameen, Okanagan Valley, Shuswap, Columbia, Kootenay and Yellowhead.
Environment Canada is warning that areas from Golden and Creston east to the Alberta border could experience very strong wind gusts Wednesday into Wednesday night, which could cause broken tree branches and power outages.
“An active cold front will move across the province on Wednesday, bringing very strong winds and an unstable air mass aloft, which will result in strong winds, heavy rain and the potential for thunderstorms,” Environment Canada said.
“The thunderstorms that form may form a line, causing repeated heavy rainfall from multiple thunderstorms in the same area, which may result in locally heavy rainfall.”
Environment Canada advised boaters and mariners to be aware of sudden, strong wind gusts on lakes, and motorists to be aware of the possibility of strong crosswinds on vulnerable high-altitude highways.
Environment Canada said thunderstorms bringing heavy rainfall in some areas were causing localized flooding, flooding on roads and increasing the risk of mudslides in wildfire-scarred areas.
Environment Canada said the storm could cause damage to buildings, including roof shingles and windows, strong winds could cause power outages, tree branches could fall and heavy rain could cause flash flooding and water on roads. People should also be cautious of landslides near rivers, streams and culverts.
