Heavy rain in forecast, flooding possible in Interlake

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This article was published 23/05/2024 (835 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A heavy rainfall warning was in effect for Winnipeg and other parts of southern Manitoba on Thursday, with 40 to 70 millimetres of rain expected Friday.

That region is expected to get the most rain, along with the Interlake and Whiteshell lakes areas. Flooding is possible if there is a particularly heavy amount of precipitation in a short time, Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure’s hydrologic forecast centre said in a news release.

Levels on rivers and streams will increase, but most major rivers are expected to remain with their banks, including the Red and Assiniboine, the province said. Soil moisture is generally near normal in most parts of Manitoba but normal to above normal in the Interlake, the province said.

“Heavy precipitation in saturated soils could create overland flooding and could cause levels to rise above the banks in the Interlake region, including the Fisher River basin,” the province said.

The Winnipeg River basin and the rest of the Whiteshell lakes area might be affected by the rain Friday. The province is opening control gates along the lakes to balance and manage the expected rises.

Wind gusts of up to 70 km/h are forecast from early Friday until Saturday afternoon.The winds might increase water levels by five feet or more along the south basin of Lake Manitoba, as well as shorelines near Gimli on the west side and Victoria Beach on the east side of Lake Winnipeg, the province said.

“Property owners are advised to take precautions,” the news release said.

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca