‘Biggest storm I’ve seen here in 40 years’

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This article was published 28/10/2010 (4538 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The storm system that walloped Manitoba over a three-day period finally eased up Wednesday night, but not before dumping 50 to 100 mm of rain on parts of the province, sending winds gusting up to 107 km per hour, and prompting some communities to declare states of emergency.

Victoria Beach resident Diana Pennington said winds were so powerful Wednesday night they pulled the wooden steps on her home out of the ground. Environment Canada clocked the speeds at 94 km per hour.

“I’ve lived here since 1978 and I’ve never seen waves that big, and winds that strong,” she said.

Neighbour Reg Gallop said six-foot waves crashed into the banks of Lake Winnipeg near his cottage.

“It was the biggest storm I’ve seen here in 40 years,” he said.

Wind speeds hit 107 km/hr in Rignold, northwest of Portage la Prairie.

The storm conditions and resulting flooding prompted states of emergency to be declared in Gimli and Winnipegosis, as well as the surrounding R.M. of Mossey River. A number of homes were evacuated at Sagkeen First Nation after the bridge over Hwy. 11 was threatened by rising waters.

Environment Canada meteorologist Albert Skiba said more than 99 mm of rain fell on Arborg over the course of the storm system, while McCreary was deluged with nearly 91 mm and Fisher Branch recieved just a few millimeters less.

Hard-hit Gimli, which has been declared a disaster area, received nearly 85 mm of rain, and communities including Selkirk, Eriksdale, and Roblin had between 77 and 81 mm.

Winnipeg got off easy by comparison, with between 45 and 54 mm reported in different areas.

Skiba said snowfall reports tapered off by Wednesday morning, with 30 cm in total dumped on the International Peace Gardens and 15 to 20 cm on Riding Mountain. Killarney received 12 cm of snow, while up to 10 cm fell on Wasagaming and Moon Lake, and the area south of Swan River.

“The same system that brought rain to the Winnipeg area brought snow to western parts of the province,” said Skiba.

lindsey.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca