THUNDER BAY – The Lakehead Region Conservation Authority has issued a flood outlook statement for Thunder Bay and the surrounding areas, warning mixed precipitation in the forecast Wednesday will create the potential for flooding.
Environment Canada issued a special weather statement for the city of Thunder Bay early Tuesday afternoon over significant rainfall expected to begin Wednesday morning.
Precipitation could begin Tuesday night as snow, ice pellets, or freezing rain, before becoming all rain Wednesday morning, the agency said.
The rain is expected to change to snow by Thursday morning, and total rainfall amounts by that time were estimated at 20 to 30 millimetres, particularly for some areas that could experience thunderstorms.
Some areas could receive mixed precipitation of over 30 millimetres, according to a flood outlook issued Tuesday afternoon by the LRCA for the Lakehead region, including Thunder Bay, Neebing, Oliver Paipoonge, Shuniah, O’Connor, Gillies, and Dorion.
Area watercourses are partially open, the agency said, but the ground remains frozen, potentially leading to runoff. An above-average snowpack on the ground is anticipated to absorb some of the rainfall.
The LRCA urged members of the public to exercise caution around waterways, and will issue further statements as warranted.
Environment Canada also issued winter storm warnings elsewhere in the region.
In areas of the Northwest including Kenora, Dryden, and Sioux Lookout, the agency warned of blizzard conditions with between 30 and 50 centimetres of snow and wind gusts of up to 70 kilometres an hour.
North of Thunder Bay, in the Armstrong area, a winter storm watch was in effect, with Environment Canada projecting snowfall accumulations of 15 to 30 centimetres and several hours of freezing rain.
