Significant rainfall in northwestern Ontario to continue to Thursday - CBC
Rainfall amounts of 25 to 50 mm expected on Wednesday. (Marc Doucette/CBC)Social SharingIt’s been a wet and rainy week in northwestern Ontario, with many parts of the northwest under a yellow rainfall warning.
According to Environment Canada, significant rainfall will continue through to Thursday morning with multi-day rainfall totals nearing 80 mm with higher amounts possible.
“Some areas have received in excess of 50 mm from the previous system that went through Monday and Monday night. As a result, the ground may have a reduced ability to absorb additional rainfall,” the weather agency stated in a weather warning issued Wednesday.
Significant rainfall will continue through to Thursday morning. (Marc Doucette/CBC)
But for the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority, which monitors water levels in and around Thunder Bay, Ont., the rain is seen as a welcome sign .
“The thing is we are currently under a level 1 low water condition. So that means it's an early indication of potential drought conditions,” said Ryan Mackett, the communications manager with the LRCA in an interview with CBC on Tuesday.
“A lot of the local rivers and streams are very low. Area waterways are below bank full conditions. And so this means this rainfall will actually recharge area wells and groundwater which are low for this time of year due to the drought.”
Mackett said the LRCA forecast team are regularly monitoring all of the weather reports and any messages from the surface water monitoring centre, along with checking their area rain gauges regularly and keeping up with forecasted precipitation.
Flooding along rivers is not likely, said Mackett, but there is the chance of water pooling in low lying areas due to the rainfall.
“So you might see parking lots with ponding and those low lying areas with a little bit of ponding or even water flowing over streets and stuff like that. But again, the rivers themselves and the streams and the creeks are low because of that level 1 low water condition. So this will help.”
Environment Canada warns residents to watch for potential washouts near rivers, creeks and culverts.
Jasmine Kabatay is an Anishinaabe journalist from Seine River First Nation in northwestern Ontario. She is based in Thunder Bay and has also written for the Toronto Star, and VICE News.
