Intense storm brings power outages, travel woes to parts of B.C.

A severe overnight storm on August 23, 2026 knocked out power to thousands across British Columbia and stranded Vancouver airport passengers between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m.

Original report
vancouver.citynews.ca

Industry impact

Lightning-driven ground stops at a major Canadian gateway highlight how severe weather can cascade into multi-hour taxi and gate delays across an airport's full schedule.

An unusually strong storm struck southern British Columbia overnight on August 23, 2026, bringing heavy rain and lightning that caused widespread power outages and significant travel disruptions. Environment Canada issued severe thunderstorm warnings for Metro Vancouver, Whistler, the Southern Gulf Islands, and parts of Vancouver Island.

Vancouver International Airport said passengers were stranded between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. as flights could not depart and arriving aircraft were unable to taxi to their gates due to lightning, with dozens of flights subsequently cancelled or delayed as it worked to restore its schedule.

BC Hydro's outage map showed thousands of customers across the province without power in the early morning hours due to lightning strikes and downed trees. Heavy rain also hit Central British Columbia overnight, with Environment Canada warning that the Cariboo and Chilcotin regions could receive between 25 and 50 millimetres of rainfall.