Severe thunderstorm warning for Niagara, Haldimand County ends, Niagara flood watch continues

Severe thunderstorm warning for Niagara, Haldimand County ends, Niagara flood watch continues

Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority said "nuisance flooding" likely in low-lying areas

A severe thunderstorm warning for Niagara and Haldimand County ended around 4:15 p.m. Sunday, Environment Canada said. However, Niagara is still under a flood watch.

The federal agency had issued a storm warning Sunday afternoon and said much of southwestern Ontario, including the Hamilton and Niagara area, was in for heavy rain.

Environment Canada issued a special weather statement around 12:30 p.m. June 14, saying local rainfall amounts of 30 to 50 mm were possible through the afternoon into the evening. Around 2:30 p.m., it issued a warning encompassing most of Haldimand County and Niagara, saying its meteorologists are tracking a thunderstorm "capable of producing strong wind gusts and heavy rain."

The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority issued a flood watch around 3:30 p.m., saying that while it "does not anticipate major flooding along larger watercourses, nuisance flooding in low-lying areas adjacent to smaller streams and creeks is likely."

In Hamilton, Brantford and St. Catharines, the afternoon forecast called for showers and a risk of thunderstorms until about 7 p.m. In Burlington, Environment Canada forecasted the risk of thunderstorms would drop around 6 p.m.

The special weather statement for heavy rainfall extended from Lake Ontario in the east to Lake Huron in the West. Around 4 p.m., Environment Canada changed it to only apply to an area including Norfolk County and Long Point.

Justin Chandler is a CBC News reporter in Hamilton. He covers stories of all kinds from places including picket lines, court rooms, council meetings and research labs. Justin has a special interest in how public policy affects people, and loves a quirky human-interest story. Before CBC Hamilton, he worked for TVO and on a variety of CBC teams and programs. He co-hosted Radio Free Krypton on Met Radio.