Rainfall warning ends, but flood watch remains for London

You’ll want to keep your umbrella handy for the rest of the weekend.

Although a rainfall warning from Environment Canada has ended for London, Middlesex County, and Elgin County, forecasters say periods of rain will stick around in the region through Saturday.

A warning remained in place for Huron, Perth, Oxford, and Brant counties as of just after 10 p.m. Friday.

Forecasters have predicted we’ll see upwards of 90 millimetres of total precipitation before the system begins to taper off late Saturday, with the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) reporting between 25 to 35 mm of rainfall throughout Thursday.

UTRCA has also issued a flood watch for the London region, valid until Monday. The ground is already saturated as a result of yesterday’s downpour, and as water levels continue to rise in local rivers and streams, the agency is urging people to stay away from slippery river banks and fast-moving water.

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“Hopefully people’s basements are ready for any flooding,” Old East Village resident Anya Hleba said, reflecting on a history of water-damage problems she and her neighbours have encountered in the past.

Hleba said she has picked up some “tricks of the trade,” which include putting gravel around basement windows to redirect water and adding eaves-trough attachments. Although she hasn’t experienced any basement flooding issues so far this year, not everyone has been so lucky.

“The phone rings steadily when things like this happen,” Winmar London project manager Joe Karr said. He estimates the property restoration company receives up to 10 times more calls during spells of heavy rain.

“I’ve seen basements that are literally four feet deep in water, and unfortunately sometimes the other thing that comes along with that — people have to leave and they come back a few days later, a week later and now it’s not just water damage, it’s mold damage.”

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Karr urged people to take pro-active measures to protect their homes from water damage. Namely, checking basements regularly and ensuring that sump pumps work properly.

“A few inches to a foot of water is not uncommon to have happen overnight,” he said.

“If you’re prone to that type of thing happening, if you know you’re in a wet area, it’s really worth checking. Even if that means just popping up in the night once or twice, to check your sump pump.”

Environment Canada and the UTRCA are warning of localized flooding in low-lying areas.

The City of London says it’s municipal sports grounds, including soccer fields, baseball diamonds, and cricket pitches are off limits to the public until Monday.