UPDATE - Saturday, November 7, 2026, 4:30 p.m.: BC Hydro says more than 190,000 customers have lost power at some point since Friday night’s storm began, and crews working around the clock have restored power to more than 160,000 of them. About 30,000 customers were still without power as of 4:30 p.m. Saturday, down from about 40,000 on Saturday morning, and the utility warns some customers are expected to remain without power overnight because of the extent of the damage and access problems in some areas.
A new round of strong winds is moving across the province Saturday afternoon and continuing into Sunday, already creating new outages in some areas. BC Hydro says it has moved into an extended storm response, with more weather systems expected tonight and through next week. Strong winds are expected to continue tonight and into Sunday morning, particularly on Vancouver Island, the South Coast, the North Coast and the Central Interior. The hardest-hit areas include Prince George and surrounding communities, Port Hardy and Courtenay.
“Our crews have made significant progress… but the storm response is far from over,” said Whitney Deane, a BC Hydro spokesperson. “Strong winds are already creating new outages in some areas, and our crews are ready to respond as this next round of weather moves through.”
Restoration is being slowed in places by fallen trees, blocked roads and ongoing severe weather. In northern Vancouver Island and parts of the Interior, crews are running ground patrols to find faults on transmission lines after the weather prevented helicopter inspections, and in some areas crews must clear fallen trees and debris before they can safely reach damaged equipment.
BC Hydro is urging customers to prepare for further outages over the coming days: keep a stocked 72-hour emergency kit with water, non-perishable food, flashlights, batteries and first-aid supplies, and check address-specific outage information, including estimated restoration times, in the BC Hydro mobile app or at bchydro.com/outages. Anyone who sees a downed, damaged or low-hanging power line should stay at least 10 metres away and call 911.
(Source: BC Hydro, November 7, 2026)
SURREY, B.C. - BC Hydro is warning customers across British Columbia to prepare for more power outages this weekend and into next week, as a series of storms takes aim at the province on the heels of Friday’s damaging winds.
About 80,000 customers were without power at the peak of Friday’s storm, and the utility says the total number affected through the day was much higher, because strong winds moved through different parts of the province in waves. As crews restored power in some areas on Friday, falling trees and branches caused new outages elsewhere. As of 8 a.m. Saturday, approximately 40,000 customers remained without power.
Where outages remain
The hardest-hit areas on Saturday morning include Prince George and surrounding communities, Port Hardy, Courtenay and Qualicum. Crews are repairing damaged power lines, poles and other electrical equipment, and BC Hydro says restoration work is expected to continue throughout the day.
Surrey and the rest of the Lower Mainland sit in the path of the systems now approaching the south coast, and the utility is asking customers everywhere to be ready in case the next round of winds brings down more trees and branches.
More systems on the way, and some could hit harder
BC Hydro’s meteorologists are closely monitoring two, and likely three, more weather systems expected to impact the coast and other regions of the province between now and mid-week. The next system is expected to bring heavy rain and strong winds to the south and central coasts beginning Saturday, with some wind gusts potentially more damaging than those experienced so far.
“Friday’s storm caused significant damage, and we’re preparing for more challenging weather in the days ahead,” said Whitney Deane, a BC Hydro spokesperson. The utility says additional systems are expected through mid-week and some of the winds could be more impactful than what the province has seen so far, with crews and resources working around-the-clock to restore power and respond to new outages as quickly and safely as possible.
The warning follows the utility’s storm-season outlook earlier this fall, which said the storm season now starts before the first storm arrives.
Why summer conditions make fall storms more damaging
Friday’s outages come as new BC Hydro research highlights how conditions that develop months before storm season can make trees more vulnerable when severe weather arrives. The utility’s new report, The new reality: Emergency season is year-round, finds that prolonged drought and heat can weaken trees and root systems, while wildfires can damage trees that remain standing. Those effects can linger into fall and winter, and may not become apparent until high winds and heavy rain put weakened trees under additional stress.
How BC Hydro is preparing
With multiple weather systems expected over the coming days, BC Hydro says it is preparing for an extended storm response, with its own crews, contractor crews and other resources working around-the-clock as conditions move through the province. Its in-house meteorologists use advanced forecasting and outage prediction tools to anticipate where the greatest impacts could occur, which helps position crews, contractors and damage assessors where they are needed most. The utility has also tripled its annual vegetation management spending over the past several years to approximately $150 million, to identify and remove hazardous trees and vegetation near power lines.
BC Hydro is a provincial Crown corporation and the main electricity provider for most of British Columbia. During major storms it leads the restoration response, prioritizing the outages affecting the most customers and the repairs needed to keep critical services running.
What to do before the next storm
BC Hydro is encouraging customers to prepare for the possibility of further outages before the next storms arrive, including making sure they have a stocked 72-hour emergency kit with water, non-perishable food, flashlights, batteries and first-aid supplies.
Customers can also download the new BC Hydro mobile app before severe weather arrives. The app provides outage information specific to a customer’s address, including the cause, when the outage began, the estimated restoration time and the latest updates. The latest information is also posted at bchydro.com/outages, and preparedness advice is at bchydro.com/safety.
During an outage, customers should stay at least 10 metres away from downed, damaged or low-hanging power lines and call 911 to report them.
(Source: BC Hydro, November 7, 2026)
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