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| Terrasse-Vaudreuil firefighters place sandbags along the swollen Ottawa River in May 2017. (ValleyWeather Photo) |
A series of low pressure systems will deliver heavy rainfall across eastern Ontario and southern Quebec through Saturday. The heaviest rain is expected late Friday into Saturday morning, with showery weather persisting into next week. The rain, combined with melting snow and river ice, is expected to provide sharp rises to all area waterways. The focus in our region is on the Ottawa River and its tributaries, with flooding expected from Pointe-Fortune along the Ontario border into metro Montreal.
Several communities have been put on alert, including Rigaud, where devastating flooding occurred in 2017. Emergency measures have been put in place, with some evacuations expected. There is a real fear that water levels could be higher than the record flooding of 2017. To date, Montreal has already received 40mm of precipitation this month, while further up the Ottawa Valley, 54mm has fallen in Ottawa. Another 25 to 50mm or more of rainfall is anticipated through the upcoming weekend.
In metro Montreal, the Borough of Pierrefonds-Roxboro has already taken steps to protect residents from flooding along Riviere-des-Prairies. The borough is in alert mode as we head into the upcoming weekend. Pumps have been set up in advance of the predicted rising water. The residents of Terrasse-Vaudreuil, Ile Perrot and Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue have also been put on alert for potential flooding along the Ottawa River and Lake of Two Mountains. The gauge Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue locks is at 23.36 metres, just above flood stage of 23.30. South of Montreal, Lake Champlain is over 99 feet, with flood stage at 100 feet. Minor flooding is anticipated this weekend near Rouses Point, New York, with that water entering the Richelieu River Valley in Quebec.
Showery, mild weather is expected in Montreal Thursday, with breezy conditions and a warm high of 18C (65F). Strengthening low pressure will move along a frontal boundary during the day Friday, providing the region with heavy rainfall. The heavy rain will persist into Saturday. Temperatures will become cooler Friday afternoon as winds increase out of the north.
A special weather statement is in effect for Montreal, with potential warnings needed by Friday. Heavy rainfall warnings are in effect for the Ottawa Valley and eastern Ontario. A flood watch in in effect across most of northern New York and Vermont. Flooding has already occurred south of Quebec City in the Beauce region, and across portions of Vermont.
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