Friday November 13, 2020 | WEST SHORE
by Mary Brooke, editor | Island Social Trends
Today on this Friday the 13th, there was a wind warning for the Greater Victoria/south coast. That was in the morning, with a specific advisory that by afternoon there would be westerly winds at 70 km/h and gusting to 90 km/h in the Greater Victoria area near Juan de Fuca Strait.
High winds can toss loose objects or cause tree branches to break, says Environment Canada.
Generally in this sort of weather one can expect power outages (and so there were). In the west shore, by 10:30 am almost 3,000 BC Hydro customers in areas of Langford, Colwood and Metchosin had lost services, and at first 411 west of Sooke, then about 600 closer to or within Sooke.
Also in this sort of weather there are advisories about trees falling due to the impact of the wind. Travelling on roads and highways in areas with vulnerable trees is a smart thing to avoid.
All of this is a stark reminder that winter is kind of suddenly here. In these times of climate change the seasons seem to change more abruptly than in decades past.
Preparations for a power outage:
It’s also a time to be reminded to always be prepared for power outages and to have emergency kits ready and packed, says Jeri Grant, who coordinates the Juan de Fuca Emergency Program. That means having more than food and batteries, but also preparations for possibly an extended time in a dark, cold house.
During the pandemic, you will need additional supplies of things like paper towel, Kleenex, face masks and hand sanitizer. You may wish to also be prepared to purchase things online using your phone if your computer is down (make sure there’s room on your credit card and that you’re already signed up for the various retail websites where you will want to shop and order things).
During the pandemic, if people need to self-isolate in your home, be sure to have a plan for that in advance. Right now there are over 12,000 people in self-isolation in BC.
Power-on smarts:
When your lights and appliances do suddenly come back on, it’s easier on the power grid if you have turned off most of the optional ones. That helps BC Hydro to manage the restoration load.
Some people have generators for their homes, to avoid power interruption.