This spring in northwestern Ontario has been unusual to say the least, as the region has seen 312 per cent more precipitation combined in April and May this year, than in the same time period last year.
So, why has it been so wet this spring in the region?
Well, Peter Kimbell, an Environment Canada Meteorologist says this unusual amount of precipitation is due to an early April snowstorm.
“The several days when snow or rain fell during the month, that’s what made all the difference this year,” says Kimbell. “The storm track was right over the top of northwestern Ontario and that made all the difference for the Red River Valley in Manitoba and for northwestern Ontario like Kenora.”
“Typically the storm track would be a lot further south and east, Kenora would be colder and there would be less snowfall, and that’s all the difference this year.”
The storm Kimbell is referring to was between April 12-14, 2022, when a spring snowstorm swept through the region with a combined 30 cm of snow, which kicked off a wet spring.
Between April 1, 2022, and May 23, 2022, the area has received 250.6 mm of precipitation, compared to the 80.3 mm seen in the same time frame last year. The over 300 cm of snow northwestern Ontario saw over the winter, which broke a 61-year-old snow record hasn’t helped the cause either.
So far May has produced 130.1 mm of rain, which hasn’t helped the rising lake, river, and creek levels in the region, that has caused many residents in the to evacuate their homes due to flooding.
The average precipitation usually seen in April is 14.6 mm, and in May much more with an average of 80.8 mm.
Moving forward into this week the region is forecasted to have a 30 per cent chance of rain today into tonight (May 23, 2022), as well as into tomorrow morning, with a 60 per cent of showers tomorrow night (May 25, 2022).
“The system that we’re looking at is actually going to be swinging by to the east, it will hit Thunder Bay, probably not so much Kenora. So we probably won’t get that much rain this week, not at least before the weekend.”
Get up-to-date weather details on the REMR Roofing Storm Tracker at KenoraOnline or DrydenNow.