Monday, January 25, 2010

Heavy Rain

Radar this morning is showing very heavy rain across eastern Ontario and southern Quebec. The rain will continue all day before tapering to a few showers this evening and eventually flurries overnight. Temperatures are very mild today already well above freezing in Montreal and points south and west. Very little freezing rain occurred locally, however it has been falling all night in Quebec City, and Highway 20 remains very poor in that area. Quebec City is still below freezing at 8am. Keep in mind that heavy rain warnings and flood advisories are in effect for our entire area from Ottawa to Montreal and south into New York and Vermont. Expect total rainfall amounts of 25-50mm or 1 to 2 inches of rain by the time in ends this evening.

On the cold side of the storm heavy snow and strong winds continue across Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Blizzard Warnings remain posted with travel not recommended. The visibility in Regina has only come up and over 1km in the last few hours after being under a kilometer for over 20 hours. Winds gusted over 80km/h with blowing and flailing snow as well as dropping temperatures. Power was out to thousands of homes with SaskPower unable to reach the hardest hit areas due to closed roads. Nearly 20 highways were closed at the height of the storm including the Trans Canada between Regina and Rush Lake. I have driven that road often, it is wide open and very dangerous with any wind and snow. Highway 11 was also closed northwest to Davidson. Conditions will very slowly improve in Saskatchewan today while remaining poor in Manitoba. There were several major accidents and fatalities on roadways this past weekend.

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