Brandon streets flood as western Manitoba walloped by torrential rains

Brandon streets flood as western Manitoba walloped by torrential rains

Up to 150 mm seen in parts of region as severe thunderstorms pass through province

Some streets in Brandon flooded in the span of a few hours Monday as western Manitoba was hit by heavy rains.

Residents could be seen wading through residential streets with the water reaching as high as their knees that evening.

Mayor Jeffrey Fawcett said slow drainage combined with the heavy downpours has led to some high water levels in some parts of the city.

"It came down so fast, so hard," he said in an interview with Up to Speed Monday afternoon.

It was "a serious amount of rain in a very short period of time — which … does back up the system."

An Environment and Climate Change Canada orange warning was issued for western Manitoba and parts of Saskatchewan on Monday afternoon. It warned highly localized rainfall in excess of 150 millimetres were possible, with general totals ranging from 35 to 90 millimetres.

Environment Canada meteorologist Chris Stammers said that as of around 8 p.m., Boissevain had received the most rainfall, with the local station reporting 150 millimetres. The community is about 65 kilometres south of Brandon.

"Deloraine is second at 127 millimetres. Then, there's a bunch kind of in the 50 to 100 [range]," he said.

A rainfall total of 50 millimetres was recorded in the Brandon airport area, but there were reports the west side of the city had received about 100 millimetres, Stammers said.

"A lot of it has kind of moved off to the north now, kind of over the Parklands area up near Dauphin," he said.

"But we're still seeing thunderstorms over southern Manitoba right now developing. So, still more on the way."

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The heavy rainfall comes as a low pressure system moves from the Dakotas through southern Manitoba. Parts of that region were under some type of thunderstorm advisory, with a tornado watch also in effect in some areas.

A tornado that swept through Rossburn in western Manitoba damaged several structures and destroyed a home Sunday.

Fawcett asked Brandon residents to avoid areas with high water levels, including Richmond Avenue at 18th Street.

"It will drain down, but it definitely [is] high," he said.

With files from Gavin Axelrod and Up to Speed