Drivers are being warned to slow down as long-awaited rain finally arrives, since the water mixes with oil that builds up on road surfaces during an extended dry period, creating slippery conditions.
About a millimetre of rain fell on Friday morning, with about five millimetres expected throughout the day.
Conditions were especially slippery for bicycles and motorcycles, said Victoria police spokesman Bowen Osoko, advising drivers and cyclists to watch for the rainbow effect created by oil on the road surface.
The sun is expected to return on Saturday and part of Sunday, with highs of about 12 C, before a series of rainy days next week, said Environment Canada meteorologist Alyssa Charbonneau.
Rain could arrive Sunday night and continue into Monday, and it won’t just be the light rain we’ve experienced so far, said Charbonneau.
More rain is expected throughout next week, with heavier downpours toward the end of the week.
When that heavier rain appears, drivers will need to watch for pooling on the roads and adjust their speed, and be especially careful on corners, said Trace Acres, program director of Road Safety at Work, which is funded by WorkSafeBC.
Now is also the time to think about putting on winter tires, to avoid the rush when weather worsens, he said. Winter tires are good for all conditions the season presents, not just snow, said Acres, noting the standard all-season tire doesn’t work as well below 7 C.
Winter tires are required on the Malahat from Oct. 1 to March 31, although drivers can also use all-seasons that have a mud-and-snow designation on them, Acres said.
The Malahat is undergoing $15 million in repairs around Tunnel Hill after damage due to heavy rain last winter.
In the Cowichan Valley Regional District, which declared a state of emergency in mid-November after flooding due to torrential rains, no problems are anticipated from the first days of rain, said spokesman Kris Schumacher.
The area around the lower Chemainus River and Cowichan Bay Road are among the most flood-prone, although Schumacher said measures such as removing obstructions in rivers to maintain flow can help.
Despite Friday’s sprinkles, Vancouver Island, the inner south coast and the northeast corner of the province continue to be listed at drought Level 5, the most severe ranking.
Sustained rain over an extended period is needed to ease the drought, said Coastal Fire Centre fire-information officer Marg Drysdale.
Any fire larger than a campfire — a half-metre by a half-metre — is banned until at least Oct. 28, when the ban could be extended.
