Prince George, B.C.-  Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for Prince George  in  preparation for a  major storm that is expected to hit the region on Thursday.

Areas along the  coast are under  a  weather warning,   while most of the interior  and  lower mainland  are  the subject of the special  weather statement which  warns  of a powerful storm that  will hit the province tomorrow.

(at right,  Environment Canada  image shows areas under weather warning and those  under special weather statement)

“The cold front will race across the Central Interior Thursday afternoon and then stall across the Southern Interior in the evening. Strong winds with gusts as high as 80 km/h will develop across the Central Interior in the morning then spread to the Southwest Interior in the afternoon”  reads the statement.

Environment Canada  advises  the front will be accompanied by “Locally heavy precipitation.”    There is also an advisory that ” Snow will develop over the Columbias in the morning and then spread to the Kootenays. Rising snow levels, however, will cause the snow to change to rain over most of the Kootenay regions in the afternoon.”

Further updates on this storm will be forthcoming.