Flooding spreading across the Prairies. Are you at risk?
Meteorologist
Wednesday, April 25, 2018, 5:45 PM - Flooding continues to be an issue across Alberta and Saskatchewan. The abnormally deep snowpack has been the main culprit for this influx of overland flooding across the western Prairies. Temperatures are expected to surge into the mid-20's this weekend, and the remaining snow will rapidly melt and likely cause more issues.
FLOODING HIGHLIGHTS
- Drumheller region particularly impacted by flooding, and earlier, some evacuation alerts were in place for the community of Wayne.
- Local state of emergency for Taber – with numerous roads inundated in this southern municipality
- Forecast highlights temperatures spiking this weekend, before a fresh batch of precipitation targets southern sections of the province early next week
Keep on top of active weather by visiting the ALERTS page.
Over the past couple of weeks, the typical spring melt season kicked off, impacting numerous communities and roadways in Alberta. But, what's to come? The warmest temperatures of the year will dissolve the remaining piles of snow in the lower elevations, then a significant pattern change develops. But first, queue the heat. An incredibly strong ridge of high pressure will push temperatures well into the 20's for a stunning weekend:
But, what kind of temperatures are possible?
Alberta, you'll see the warmest temperatures in the Prairies, but there's a danger with the enhanced snowmelt originating from the Rockies and foothills causing additional flooding; freezing levels are set to soar to over 3000 metres for the mountainous regions in B.C. and Alberta – the freezing levels are over the 90th percentile for what is typically recorded in April.
What's Next?
The next system to watch originates off an upper trough situated over the Pacific Northwest. This system has a high likelihood to spill moisture from Montana into southern sections of the province late Sunday and linger into early next week. Current computer model runs indicate the highest precipitation amounts are focused in the foothills of Alberta and southern sections, south of Hwy 3 – it may be possible to exceed 30 mm of precipitation for some of these regions by next Tuesday. The flood watch will continue.
We'll be watching this flooding situation closely, particularly with this heavy rain forecast for southern sections of the province next week.
