Springtime rain brings seasonal watershed problems

Precipitation, snowmelt add to high water levels, prompting conservation authority flood watch

Say goodbye to that last bit of snowpack.

Hamilton Conservation Authority upgraded its watershed conditions, noting we’re now in a flood watch, with rain Friday and Saturday adding to already above normal levels. But with snow-melting weather upon us and more rain in the forecast, has the region finally moved beyond wintry weather?

“Not necessarily,” said Environment Canada meteorologist Steven Flisfeder. “We’re into spring officially, but that doesn’t mean the end of winter weather — meaning snow and freezing rain — that’s going to be potential for the … coming weeks.

“The past few years we’ve seen snow in the GTA and Golden Horseshoe well into May,” he added.

However, there are no serious winter storms in the long-term forecast and, with daytime high temperatures on the rise and more sunshine expected, any pesky April snow isn’t expected to stick around, he said.

As the rain falls this weekend, HCA water watchers expect the last bit of snowpack to melt away. All the low-lying areas that typically flood are expected to flood. More than that, the possibility flooding — and significant flooding in the Spencer Creek watershed — prompted a warning from the authority, warning residents to stay away from bodies of water.