Environment Canada has issued a rainfall warning for much of southwestern Quebec, including the Montreal area.
The weather agency says a low pressure system that is stalled over the region will bring rain — at times heavy — beginning Sunday and continuing Monday.
Total amounts of precipitation are expected to range between 25 to 40 millimetres.
Officials with Environment Canada are warning of the possibility of localized flooding, especially in low-lying areas.
“The ground is already near saturation and has little ability to absorb further rainfall,” a statement on the Environment Canada website reads.
Urgence Québec says ice and snow melt, coupled with the rain could affect water levels in lakes and rivers across the province.
Rivers in the province are being monitored in real-time for flood risk, and residents who live near waterways can also keep an eye on water levels by consulting the government website.
The public security agency also has detailed instructions on what do in case of imminent flooding, including shutting off the power to avoid electrocution and fire hazards.
Should actual flooding occur, Urgence Québec says it is important to heed the instructions of local authorities and avoid taking any risks that could put yourself in danger.
On Thursday, a man in his fifties died in the flooded basement of his Sainte-Marie-de Beauce home, in Quebec’s Chaudière-Appalaches region. The cause of death has yet to be determined.
For more information on what to do to prepare for possible flooding, visit the Urgence Québec website.
— With files from La Presse Canadienne