Rainy forecast brings advisories, local flood watch
A wet forecast for Windsor-Essex this week has prompted advisories from Environment Canada’s weather offices, the Essex Region Conservation Authority and the U.S. National Weather Service in Detroit.
Environment Canada issued a special weather statement for Windsor-Essex and ChathamKent on Monday, predicting “appreciable rainfall” due to a warm front moving through the region.
A band of showers from northern Indiana and Ohio had the potential to drop 10 to 20 millimetres of precipitation on southwestern Ontario on Monday.
“Ponding of water on roads and possible marginal flooding may be expected in poorly drained areas,” Environment Canada stated.
But Environment Canada noted that the expected amounts remain below the agency’s criterion for a rainfall warning.
Along with Monday’s precipitation, periods of rain are expected for Tuesday and Wednesday. There are also chances of showers throughout the coming weekend.
The weather predictions led the Essex Region Conservation Authority to upgrade its conditions statement from last week to a flood watch for the entire region.
ERCA pointed out that the region still has “semi-frozen ground conditions,” saturated by recent melting snow.
“Accumulated standing water depths can vary dramatically and should be avoided,” ERCA stated.
According to ERCA, increased flow is expected in all waterways in the region, and there’s potential for blockages as ice continues to break up and pile downstream.
“People should take extra caution and avoid rivers, lakes, ditches, streams, and ponds,” ERCA said.
“Any remaining ice cover on the waterways will be unstable and dangerous.”
Across the border, the U.S. National Weather Service had a similar message for Detroit.
But there’s a positive side to all this sogginess, and that’s unseasonably warm weather.
Environment Canada predicted Windsor will have a high of 15 C (59 F) on Tuesday and 12 C (54 F) on Wednesday — temperatures more typical of April than late February.