You’ll need your umbrella once again Friday, as a rainfall warning from Environment Canada remains in effect for London, Parkhill, Strathroy, Komoka, and Middlesex County.
When you factor in Thursday’s downpour, forecasters are predicting we’ll be left with upwards of 90 millimetres of precipitation before the system begins to taper off late Saturday.
“[Thursday’s total rainfall amount ranged between] 25 and 30 millimetres, and it’s quite uniform, we’ve got a low pressure system that’s going to track through Lake Ontario, and because of that it’s going to spread heavy rain right across the London area today and tonight as well as tomorrow morning,” said Mitch Meredith, severe weather meteorologist with Environment Canada.
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Meredith thinks we’re about halfway through the heaviest of the rainfall since we’re expecting another 20 to 30 millimetres of rain Friday.
The forecast calls for periods of showers on Sunday, and a mix of sun and cloud on Monday.
“If you’re right near the river or if you have activities planned near the river, you’re going to have to rethink what you’re going to be doing over the next few days because the river is going to be rising,” said UTRCA communication specialist Eleanor Heagy. “It’s going to depend on how much rain we do get, but we’re expecting to see the levels come up over probably Friday into Saturday, and then they’ll stay elevated into next week.”
The UTRCA said there may be some road closures, citing specifically Highway 2 in Woodstock, as well as Windermere Avenue and some parking areas on the Western University campus, all on the floodplain.
Residents are being advised to stay away from streams, rivers and creeks as the banks are slippery and the water is cold and fast moving.
The UTRCA’s flood control reservoirs at Fanshawe, Wildwood and Pittock Conservation Areas are at seasonal levels and are being operated to reduce downstream flows.