When it rains, it pours in the Queen City

REGINA – Regina residents woke up Monday morning to the sound of rain which has rarely been heard during this year’s dry summer.

It seems Mother Nature is making up for lost time by pouring months worth of rain into a few days.

“We’re in the middle of a significant rainfall event. This morning Regina had more rainfall than we had in the entire month of June this year,” explained Tiffany Lizée, Global Regina’s weather specialist. “With more rain on the way, totals could exceed the rainfall we had in May, June and July combined.”

While the moisture is much needed, the large amount of rain in a short period of time can lead to ponding on the streets and possible local flooding.

To make sure the water drains effectively, catch basins should be cleared of debris as long as it safe to do so.

“Our system is intended to handle this kind of thing,” explained Pat Wilson, the director of water works for the City of Regina.

The city is also on the look-out for potential trouble spots.

“You might see an underpass fill-up and we are out monitoring these locations. We have staff out in their trucks looking for trouble locations and trying to clear them as quickly as possible.”

The recent wet summers may have prepared homeowners for the rain but there are precautions to take to avoid flooding.

Ensure that your eaves are cleared and the downspout is pointed well away from your house. Also ensure that a sump pump and that backfill valve are installed to avoid sewer backup in basements.

The Queen City Ex is also preparing for its event this weekend and while the rain may make set up more challenging, it isn’t expected to cause any delays.

“We’ve talked to the North American midway guys and they’ve assured us that they’ll get the rides up in a safe manner,” said Josh Shaw, the event manager at Evraz Place. “They’ve set up all across North America and they’ve set up in the rain before.”

Tuesday’s parade and fireworks is expected to go ahead as planned.