FLOOD ADVISORY
March 31 2008 AT 3:50 PM
There has been a significant increase in the forecast rainfall from the region extending from Elliot Lake to North Bay. Two lows are forecasted to merge over Hudson Bay later today. Current forecasts indicate that the region that will receive the bulk of the precipitation extends from Manitoulin Island and Elliot Lake, across to the Nickel Belt and through to North Bay, continuing as far south as Parry Sound and Muskoka. These areas may see 10 to 15mm of rain today. An additional 50 to 65mm is forecasted for the area tonight with another 10mm of rain falling before the rain ends on Tuesday afternoon. Total amounts of precipitation forecasted for this event range between 70 and 90 mm within the next 24 hours
This system is also expected to bring mild temperatures to the area with forecasted highs reaching 4°C today and 8°C Tuesday and forecasted lows of 3°C tonight and 0°C Tuesday night.
The water content of the snow pack and current frozen ground conditions, the snowmelt-runoff from the anticipated mild temperatures, and the forecasted 70 to 90mm of rain over the next 24 hours will be sufficient enough to produce a significant runoff event with high potential for localized flooding to occur in the area. Furthermore, these conditions may cause ice break-up to occur on some local watercourses and, as a result, there is a potential for localized flooding to occur as a result of ice jamming
The North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority will continue to monitor watershed conditions and provide updates to this message as warranted. The public is advised to excercise caution around any areas of open water.
