Risk of spring flooding

Photo Agence QMI, Maxime Landry
Last year, 5371 homes were flooded in Quebec, including Laval-Ouest

Vincent Larin

Sunday, 25 February, 2018 01:00

UPDATE
Sunday, 25 February, 2018 01:00

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This spring should be marked by episodes of rain frequent, which could put pressure on rivers in Quebec, according to weather models in the long term.

This situation will mostly affect the west of Quebec, according to recent forecasts. It can be explained in part by a weather system that is currently in place and which will create a sort of corridor of cold air.

“It’s going to depend on the rains arrive in march-April. It is especially that people are afraid. If the spring is very wet, this is where there is a possibility of flooding, ” describes the meteorologist Gilles’brien.

A lot of clouds

“The main trajectory is expected to cross the region of the Great Lakes, which will lead to a larger number of days of snow and rain in Ontario and in western Quebec “, indicates in turn the meteorologist of AccuWeather, Brett Anderson, on the website of the network.

This situation could contribute to increase the flow rate of the water courses in Quebec. But the risk of flooding can also be explained by the soils which are already water logged by the significant snowfalls of this winter, ” says Mr. Brien.

The latter may also contribute to making the coming spring more grey and rainy.

“The soil is likely to be very water-saturated and thus when the spring sun will heat them up, it comes to create evaporation and therefore more clouds. And that says more clouds, “says one time a little cooler than normal,” explains the meteorologist.

The layer of ice is greater than normal, which covers currently the Great Lakes should contribute to cooler temperatures in the east of the country this spring, including in Quebec, shows the site of weather forecast from AccuWeather.

Less worse than last year

On the government side, it is said to monitor the situation closely.

Already, a few overflows of the rivers have been recorded last week, but their levels returned gradually to normal this end of the week, ” explains the head of service at the Centre of operations, government, Jean Savard.

“We are in constant contact with the places where there are affected areas and where there may be risk of [flooding] “, he explains.

The situation is likely to be much less worse than during the floods of last spring, according to Mr. Savard.

At the height of the crisis, not least in 5371 homes had been flooded.

Winter is not finished, but…

Photo Agence QMI, Joel Lemay

One of the snow removal operations that took place in Montreal during the winter.

End of the extreme cold

The extremely cold temperatures experienced by the province in January could well be behind us, writes meteorologist Gilles’brien. “We can see that the polar vortex has moved more to the east, and that it is now Europe that is experiencing episodes of cold,” he explains. Quebec experienced a warm spell these last few days, which will not prevent the temperature to come back down to near average season, or -2 degrees in march.

May be a record

If the trend continues, the snowfall will exceed the historical average this year in Montreal. With approximately 203 cm already fallen, the average of 210 cm for the entire season will be reached. Especially that the month of march we will always reserve some good lined, indicates the meteorologist Gilles’brien. On average, in march, it is possible to receive about 37 inches of snow and then another 14 inches of flakes in April.