Environment Canada has issued rainfall warnings and a special weather statement for a swath of Alberta and British Columbia.
The weather agency says between 50 millimetres and 100 millimetres of rain is set to pour from Saturday until Wednesday from Fort McMurray in Alberta’s northeast to Lethbridge in the south.
It says water will likely pool on roads and locals should look out for washouts near rivers, creeks and culverts.
In B.C., the agency says in a special weather statement that up to 80 millimetres of rainfall will pour over the roughly next five days in the province’s southeastern Kootenay region.
Get breaking National news
“A potent Alberta low pressure system will bring moderate to heavy rain to southeastern B.C. this weekend and into early next week,” the Saturday statement said.
“Currently, there is still uncertainty associated with the exact track of this system, and rainfall amounts will vary greatly across southeastern B.C. …There is an elevated risk of flooding, landslides and washouts from heavy rain, and rain on snow in the mountains.”
The B.C. government says in a social media post that multiple communities in the region are under an evacuation alert.
“High water levels can pose a threat to life & safety. Impacted residents must be ready to leave on short notice,” the post said.
A number of rivers in the region as well as in surrounding areas are also under flood warnings and watches.
Back in Alberta, Premier Danielle Smith told her provincewide radio show on Saturday that her government is ready to help communities facing flood risk, which she says isn’t at the same level as it was in 2013.
Thousands of people across southern Alberta had to leave their homes and hundreds of buildings were affected due to significant flooding that year.
Its been absolutely idealic spring here. Warm with a few hottish days. The real heat of the season is yet to come. Just had a couple days of refreshing rain. All the creeks are full flow, the big lakes have lots of water in them.
And oh look the fearmongering is blossoming too!
. less fires ,trees need rain its a good thing
Eby will have to consult with his co- premiers before failing once again to do anything for British columbians…
Justin Tru-DOH will blame it on “climate change” and tell everyone not to use hydrocarbons to heat their homes. Meanwhile both Carney and him spew more hydrocarbons in the air frying to climate conference and Katy Perry concerts
glad you warned me, when raining the roads may be wet. Guess when it is sunny the roads may be dry. Got it, feel much safer now geeezzz
Just a special statement? I guess its just the lower mainland that gets the climate change hysteria and atmospheric rivers. Every one else is just heavy rainfall.
It has been a fairly dry spring so far. So 50mm over the next few days is a good thing.
… it’s raining. Hardly news worthy. Thought it was climate change and drought?
In the 1800s and early 1900s Alberta recieved huge amounts of rain, over 250mm (10 inches) in a month, maybe we are getting back to normal.
Bullsht.Always 99 percent wrong
Great. I just cut my grass. We need a soaker
All that water coming off the mountains I would be leaving Canmore and Banff until the rains stop because you never know what that much water is going to trigger. Live in Coleman for a few years so I am reminded of the Frank Slide and what CAN happen around mountains.