The B.C. coast is expected to be hit by a Class 1 hurricane-strength windstorm Wednesday.
Environment Canada issued a severe weather alert Tuesday for the coast, including the south Island.
Winds are expected to hit 70 to 200 km/h with gusts up to 140 km/h.
The last time the south Island took such a wind beating was in 2006 when a freak windstorm knocked out power lines, shook sailboats from their moorings and overturned light planes at Victoria Airport.
The winds will begin as southeasterlies early Wednesday morning and develop into southwest winds in the late morning or early afternoon.
editor@vicnews.com