Rain is hitting the valley and it鈥檚 causing concerns about what鈥檚 to come.
Total rainfall amounts ranging from five to 30 milimetres have fallen since Tuesday night, according to Environment Canada.
Showers will continue this morning over the Okanagan Valley, Similkameen, and Kootenay regions. Additional rainfall amounts up to five mm are possible today. The showers are expected to taper this afternoon.
READ MORE: RISK OF EXTREME FLOODS
Shaun Reimer, who is the section head for public safety and protection in the Okanagan for the forests ministry, says Okanagan Lake is rising by five to six centimetres a day and rain won鈥檛 help anyone prepare.
鈥淲e鈥檝e very vulnerable to the rain right now,鈥� said Reimer. 鈥淚f we get a substantial amount of rain鈥� that would be setback for us.鈥�
The plan for flood protection measures on Okanagan Lake is up to an elevation of 343 metres above sea level.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 approximately half a metre higher than our full pool,鈥� said Reimer.
Reimer cautioned the area鈥檚 residents not to panic, noting this was the level that flood protection works should be built up to and not a guarantee that the lake would rise that high.
However, he said water was coming into Okanagan Lake even faster than it did in 2017 because of the 鈥渉istoric鈥� heatwave.
鈥擶ith files from Katya Slepian
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