(Alex Grichenko/Dreamstime)

By Adrian St.Onge

ENVIRONMENT

No risk of major floods as rainwater soaked up by soil, officials say

May 7, 2024 | 5:47 PM

The risk of major flooding is low despite a month’s worth of rainfall battering Medicine Hat over the past few days, officials said Tuesday.

In the last few days, heavy rain has produced nearly 70 millimetres of rain, nearly doubling seasonal averages. A total of 31.27 millimeters fell on the area between 12 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tuesday.

While certain low-level roads may experience some flooding, widespread major flooding is not expected with the ground capable of soaking the rain, emergency management director Merrick Brown said.

“Current risk is actually quite low, just given the fact of the current drought conditions,” Brown told CHAT News.

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“Reservoirs are really quite low, soil moisture is incredibly low. What we’re seeing right now is that rain is being completely soaked up by the ground.”

St. Mary’s River Irrigation District and the River Forecasting Centre has told the City of Medicine Hat the flood risk is low to non-existent, Brown said.

Brown explained 70 millimetres over a 24-hour period is significant but very easy to manage.

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There would only be a concern if that amount of rain fell within a condensed amount of time, such as over two hours.

Environment Canada meteorologist Alysa Pederson said the rain has been long overdue and that changes in weather patterns are to be expected.

Historically, springs following a strong El Nino going into a more neutral season will see increases in precipitation.

“Typically, we have well above normal precipitation in the spring when we’re leaving a strong El Nino like this,” Pederson said.

She explained spring forecasts are challenging because the nature of large thunderstorms are not captured well by Environment Canada’s bigger models.

“But looking at previous years, we can kind of hang our hat on that trend of above normal precipitation for the spring here.”