The Foothills will be experiencing a lot of rain this weekend.
So much rain that Environment Canada has issued a Special Weather Statement Thursday morning, warning the Foothills area could expect to see between 50 and 100 mm of rain by the end of the weekend, while closer to the mountains can expect upwards of 200 mm.
Due to the amount of rain, the Town of Okotoks is monitoring the weather system, as well as the water levels in the Sheep River.
According to the Town, the river levels are currently below average, and the upstream snowmelt is no longer a factor, but they will be in close contact with provincial partners to monitor the river levels, even though the risk of river flooding is currently low.
The Town's emergency response teams are ready to respond if conditions change.
While the risk of the river flooding, heavy rainfall may still overwhelm storm drains, which could lead to overland flooding, especially in areas that are low-lying.
As a precaution, the Town is encouraging residents to clear eavestroughs and downspouts and direct the water away from the foundation of the home, watch for pooling water in the low-lying areas of the property, use sandbags to protect the property from overland flooding, and keep an eye on the Town's social media pages and their website for any updates.
To keep an eye on the weather, go to our weather page.