Strong Winds Knock Down Tree in Kitsilano, Vancouver

Wind storms are nothing new to British Columbians this winter. A recent wind storm knocked down an estimated 3,000 trees in Vancouver's Stanley Park.

Vancouverites were warned this morning of a pending wind storm, starting around 6 pm, with the potential of snow either today or tomorrow.

It seems the winds have arrived early. At 3 pm today Environment Canada was reporting wind speed at the Vancouver International Airport as WNW 74 km/h gust 98 km/h.

At 3:15 pm today, one of the corner trees in a lot at First Avenue and Maple Street, in Vancouver's Kitsilano neighbourhood, came crashing down.

There was one resounding crack and a tree, approximately 60 feet high, broke and crashed down over the intersection's stop sign. The fallen tree just missed a parked vehicle and a pedestrian crossing Maple Street heading eastward, directly below the tree.

No damage is apparent.