British Columbia·THE LATESTFlooding in B.C.’s Fraser Valley, caused by overflow from the Nooksack River in Washington state, is expected to reach its peak Friday, as highways and some schools remain closed and residents assess the damage.Another wet weather system set to move into the region Saturday night, Environment Canada warnsChad Pawson · CBC News · Posted: Dec 12, 2025 11:19 AM EST | Last Updated: 11 minutes agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.Flooding in B.C.’s Fraser Valley, caused by overflow from the Nooksack River in Washington state, is expected to reach its peak Friday, as highways and some schools remain closed and residents assess the damage.Here is the latest:Highway 1 is closed in both directions between Sumas Road and No. 3 Road.DriveBC has a list of all road closures and reopenings.Nearly 500 properties in Abbotsford remain under evacuation order and another 1,000 are on alert.All schools in Abbotsford and Chilliwack are closed Friday, but classes are in for Fraser-Cascade schools.Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for more rainfall this weekend and into next week.The B.C. River Forecast Centre still has a flood warning in place for the Sumas River, including spillover from the Nooksack River, but has ended a flood warning for the lower Fraser River, including its tributaries in areas around Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Hope and east through Manning Park.The centre says water levels in Washington state were already receding, but floodwaters being pushed north into B.C. and the Sumas Prairie area were expected to keep rising overnight and peak sometime Friday morning. WATCH | How water from Washington state is once again flooding B.C.:B.C. is flooding again and all eyes are on Washington stateFloodwaters are rising again in B.C.’s Fraser Valley on Thursday, even after the rain has stopped. The surge is coming from Washington state, where the Nooksack River is spilling northward for the second time in four years. Atmospheric rivers amped up by climate change are stacking up, and cross-border mitigation work is still dragging on. The CBC’s Johanna Wagstaffe looks into why B.C. is once again waiting for a flood peak it can’t fully control More rain comingEnvironment Canada has ended rainfall warnings but issued a special weather statement, saying more rainfall is coming “for the already saturated Fraser Valley.”It says there will be relatively light rain in the region Friday before another system moves into the area Saturday night, “followed by a potentially significant push of moisture Monday and into early next week.”The B.C. River Forecast Centre says a few days of lighter rain could help create room in many of B.C.’s waterways that are already at or near flooding levels.Meanwhile, officials in places like Abbotsford are urging residents to stay away from flood waters and be mindful of road closures.Sgt Walker provides a morning update to the Highway 1 closure in Abbotsford between Sumas Way and Number 3 Road in both directions. Follow our social media channels and Drive BC for the current road conditions and updates. pic.twitter.com/kZhwXCXjhF—AbbyPoliceDeptWhat has the damage been?The Transportation Ministry says it is beginning to assess the damage left behind from the flooding.It says Highway 3 connecting Hope to Alberta has been “severely undermined” and is closed. About 23 sites have suffered damage from rockfalls, debris and culvert undermining.B.C. Agriculture Minister Lana Popham says more than 160 farms in the Fraser Valley are under evacuation order or alert, although livestock is considered safe.ABOUT THE AUTHORChad Pawson is a CBC News reporter in Vancouver. Please contact him at chad.pawson@cbc.ca.With files from Nick Logan and The Canadian Press
Flooding in Fraser Valley expected to peak today, with more rain on the way
