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Abbotsford winds could get worse before they get better today

Environment Canada reported gusts of up to at 112 km/h
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Kevin MacDonald photo

STORM CENTRE:Click here to find links to the very latest updates on the traffic, power, and weather situation in Abbotsford

Heavy wind tearing through Abbotsford could get worse before it gets better.

Environment Canada recorded one gust that reached 112 km/h, and those heavy winds caused downed trees, power outages throughout the city and debris littering streets.

“This really deep storm that’s tracking right across Vancouver Island at the moment. Typically our storms remain out at sea, and it’s the frontal systems that track across, and deliver rain and wind. Whenever the actual centre of the storm tracks inland, that’s when we’re in for a really good wind event, a really strong wind event,” said Matt MacDonald with Environment Canada.

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Following separate wind storms over the weekend, MacDonald said the region has been in a storm pattern that was expected to break by the end of Thursday, making way for a peaceful Christmas week.

“A really strong jet stream has been … sending storm after storm towards the South Coast, and so we’ve seen a lot of rain and a few wind events, with this one definitely being the strongest.”

As of 1 p.m. Thursday, MacDonald said he expected stronger gusts to come from the southwest into the evening, before calming down around dinner time.

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“The winds tend to be a little more southeasterly ahead of the front, and then when the front pushes through, we’ll get some even gustier winds from the southwest.”

Among the damage were two trees were downed on Highway 1 near the Clearbrook exit, both in eastbound lanes, and at around noon Thursday, there were significant delays in both directions on the highway.

Downed trees also caused delays on Old Yale Road and Old Clayburn Road.

Const. Paul Walker with the Abbotsford Police Department also reported that a “barn just went airborne” on Twitter at just after 11 a.m.

As well, thousands of customers were without power for parts of the day, Thursday, with single outages affecting up to 4,000 customers.

A photo caption previously said a window had blown out from the Mahogany high rise. In fact a board that had been installed to replace a previously removed window blew inside.

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Thursday’s storm blew in a window at the Mahogany high rise. Kevin MacDonald photo
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“Outside my place” Sacha Deosaran photo
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