A heavy rainfall warning from Environment Canada is in effect for Thompson and much of the northeast, with 50 to 80 millimetres of rain expected through Sunday. That is nearly as much as the city usually gets for the entire month of June.
The weather office issued the warning Friday morning as a stalled low pressure system sits over northeastern Manitoba. Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected, with another 20 to 30 millimetres possible by Sunday afternoon.
Environment Canada says the rain will cause water to pool on roads and in low-lying areas. Fast-moving and quickly rising water can sweep vehicles away and damage infrastructure. Communities under the warning include Island Lake, Gillam, Shamattawa, Thicket Portage, and Pikwitonei.
By early Friday afternoon, light rain and 6°C temperatures were reported at Thompson Airport, with north-northwest winds gusting up to 37 km/h. The forecast calls for conditions to improve on Sunday when sunny skies and a high of 19°C are expected.
This warning is part of a wet and stormy week across Manitoba. Western Manitoba’s Minitonas-Bowsman area was hit with a one-in-200-year flash flood overnight on June 7-8, when 147 millimetres of rain fell in only a few hours. That was nearly double what had been predicted, leading to washed-out roads and stranded residents. The same unsettled weather has already triggered nearly 11,000 insurance claims to Manitoba Public Insurance, making it possibly the Crown corporation’s largest single claims event.
For Thompson, the 50 to 80 millimetres possible over the weekend is close to the city’s typical June rainfall of about 77 millimetres. Residents are urged to watch for changing conditions and avoid driving through flooded areas.
