The Upper Thames River Authority says warmer weather and rain starting Thursday and continuing into next week mean the snow pack is finally expected to start to see significant melting.
Mark Helsten, UTRCA senior water resources engineer, said in a statement “We expect streams and rivers to rise, beginning during the day on Friday and continuing to be elevated into next week as the snowpack finally melts."
While overnight temperatures are expected to remain near freezing over the next few days, slowing the melt, a total of 20-35 millimetres of rain is predicted to fall between Thursday and Monday.
The UTRCA does not expect serious flooding, but low-lying areas that traditionally experience flooding can expect to be under water.
“Conservation Authority staff ran a snow survey earlier this week,” explained Helsten. “The survey confirmed that most of the snow we received this winter is still on the ground, with an average water content of about 100 millimetres."
Changes in the forecast amount of rain however, could change the situation and cause flooding to be more widespread.
Residents are reminded to be very careful near waterways as remaining ice is unstable, banks are slippery and the water is very cold.
