A fresh autumn storm has pushed 2017 into Ottawa’s record books, making it the rainiest year ever for the national capital.
As of late Sunday, over 1,000 millimetres of rain had fallen on the city since Jan. 1. When you add snow from last winter, the total precipitation reaches over 1,200 millimetres.
The latest storm to batter the capital resulted in flooding, power outages and widespread traffic issues on Monday morning. Hydro Ottawa reported at least 9,000 customers without power as of 9 a.m., and the Ottawa Police Service was warning residents of downed trees, potential sinkholes and several accidents on area highways.
Over on the other side of the river, Hydro Quebec was reporting over 2,000 customers without power in Gatineau-Hull as of 8:30 a.m.
An entire mobile home community in Gatineau was closed to traffic due to flooding, and residents are stuck inside, according to police.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who had spent the weekend at the prime minister’s official Harrington Lake residence, had to take an all-terrain vehicle out to meet his motorcade due to flooded roadways.
READ MORE: Storm to strengthen as it tracks towards Atlantic Canada, strong winds expected
This storm alone has brought around 110 millimetres of rain to the centre of Ottawa. Monday was the wettest Oct. 30 on record for the city.
The rainfall easily pushed 2017 into first place for both most rainfall and most precipitation in a year, since records began in 1873. With two months left in the year, the records could hold for quite some time.
“It’s certainly an incredible record to break and the fact that it’s still October makes it that much more impressive,” said Global News’ chief meteorologist, Anthony Farnell.
“The combination of a record wet spring and early summer and 100-millimetre rainfall totals from this latest storm was enough push Ottawa over the top.”
Even though the rain is now tapering off, there are more showers in the forecast this week and above normal precipitation is expected for the last two months of the year, Farnell added.
“When all is said and done, 2017 will long be remembered for record rainfall and record floods in Canada’s capital city.”
The first half of the years was particularly soggy in Ottawa, with heavy flooding affecting the region in the spring. Much of the Canada Day weekend was also celebrated under rainy skies.
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