B.C.'s South Coast set for nearly a month's worth of rain this weekend

While September is usually a relatively dry end to summer on B.C.'s South Coast, this weekend is set to be an abrupt introduction to the rainy fall season.

Environment Canada said the region is set to see about amonth's worthof rain by Sunday.

A downpour Thursday dropped 20-30 millimetres, with another 10-15 millimetres expected Friday night. Another 15-25 more millimetres are in the forecast for Saturday.

That's a total of up to 70 millimetres well over the normal amount of 51 millimetres for the entire month of September.

"I think it's safe to say that summer is officially over," said Environment Canada meteorologist Matt MacDonald. "Given these back-to back systems, we will be reaching our normal rainfall for the month in just three or four days."

On Saturday, Environment Canada issued a rainfall warning for Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.

The agency said the soggy weather systems are being churned up in the northeastern Pacific, hitting B.C.'s north and central coasts before sliding down to the South Coast. Some of the rain will reach the B.C. Interior as well, MacDonald said.

A pause between the systems on Friday and Saturday means flooding isn't a concern as of noon on Friday, MacDonald said.

"Just keep that umbrella and those rubber boots handy," he added.

The official first day of fall is Sept. 23.