Residents of Owen Sound and the surrounding area should prepare for heavy rain this weekend, as a storm system moves into the region on April 4, 2026. Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement warning that a Colorado low will bring between 25 and 50 millimetres of rain, with the heaviest downpours expected Saturday evening and night. There is also a possibility of locally higher rainfall amounts if thunderstorms develop.
The Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority has issued a flood watch that covers municipalities across the Grey-Bruce region, including Chatsworth and Grey Highlands. This watch was prompted by the fact that the area received 75 millimetres of rain earlier this week, leaving the ground already saturated. Because the ground cannot absorb more water, this additional rainfall is expected to cause increased runoff and lead to rapid rises in local rivers and streams.
Conservation authorities are urging residents to exercise extreme caution near all watercourses. Stream banks are currently slippery and unstable, and local rivers contain very cold, fast-moving water that poses a significant safety risk. The Grey Sauble Conservation Authority is also monitoring conditions as the weather event approaches.
Conditions on the water will also be hazardous this weekend. Marine forecasts for Southern Georgian Bay indicate that winds will increase to 30 knots from the southeast on Saturday afternoon, with waves building to two metres by the evening. The area also faces dangers from current ice conditions, which include thick lake ice mixed with consolidated rotten ice along the shorelines.
A Colorado low is a low-pressure system that typically forms in southeastern Colorado or northeastern New Mexico. These systems often track northeast across the Great Plains and are known for bringing significant, heavy precipitation to Ontario.
Residents are advised to keep an eye on updated forecasts, as Environment Canada may issue additional rainfall warnings as the storm progresses.
