Brandon, Manitoba is dealing with a flood warning along the Assiniboine River and the risk of severe weather today, as temperatures are expected to climb well into the 30s later this week.
A flood warning from the Manitoba Emergency Management Organization remains in effect for the river from the Shellmouth Dam to the city. Heavy rain in western Manitoba earlier this month pushed water levels past channel capacity, leading to minor and major flooding. The City of Brandon declared a local state of emergency on July 4 when the river was forecast to rise about 2.5 metres above bankful capacity.
The river peaked at more than 1,182 feet on July 12 and 13 and has since dropped about five inches, but flows are still high. Emergency manager Tobin Praznik said the city is staying in a flooding response phase. “We have to stay on alert because due to the levels and flows, significant rain could impact [the] flood forecast very quickly,” Praznik said.
Today, July 20, started off at 20.7°C at the Brandon Airport with humidity at 81 percent and a humidex of 26. Environment Canada is calling for a 60 percent chance of showers this afternoon with a risk of thunderstorms and wind gusts up to 60 km/h. The high is forecast to reach 25°C with a humidex of 30. While Environment Canada’s alerts page currently shows no warnings for Brandon, the mix of thunderstorms and saturated ground from the flood is a concern.
Once the storm risk passes, sunny skies will dominate most of the week. The forecast calls for 26°C on Tuesday, 28°C on Wednesday, 30°C on Thursday, 31°C on Friday under a mix of sun and cloud, and a sunny 33°C on Saturday. That kind of heat could trigger a heat warning. Environment Canada’s threshold for southern Manitoba is a high of 32°C, a low of 16°C, and another high of 32°C over two days in a row, a pattern that looks possible this weekend.
Southern and central Manitoba already dealt with a heat event earlier in July when humidex values hit the mid-40s, and officials are reminding people to watch for signs of heat exhaustion as the mercury climbs. With flood operations still underway, the city is asking residents to stay aware of both the river conditions and the rising heat.
