Ottawa is drying out after a record breaking rainfall flooded roads and basements across the city.
Environment Canada says 56 mm of rain fell on Ottawa Monday, most of it in a six hour period. A total of 108 mm of rain fell at the Ottawa Airport between Saturday afternoon and Monday at 12 p.m. A weather station in downtown Ottawa received 112 mm of rain during the same period.
A record 1,084 mm of rain has fallen on Ottawa in the first 10 months of the year. The previous record for annual rainfall in 12 months was 1,000 mm set back in 2006.
Ottawa has now received more than 1,200 mm of precipitation this year, including rain and snow. Ottawa sees 943 mm of precipitation on average over the entire 12 months.
The City of Ottawa reports at least 175 homes were flooded on Monday. Hydro Ottawa said the high winds and rain knocked out power to more than 9,000 customers.
The parking lot at a building at the corner of Bank Street and Riverside Drive was flooded Monday morning, submerging three vehicles in water.
Ottawa Police closed several streets due to the flooding and some traffic lights were knocked out. Ottawa’s Public School Board was forced to close five schools on Monday due to the rain.
The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority said the rainfall caused water levels typically seen in the spring across the Rideau watershed. Access roads to communities on the Rideau River near Kemptville may be threatened by rising waters.
Environment Canada issued a list of the rainfall amounts between Saturday afternoon and Monday at 8 p.m.
Ottawa Downtown 112.1 mm
Ottawa Airport 102.8 mm
Dunrobin 99.1 mm
Carp 74.2 mm
Navan 63.7 mm
Vankleek Hill 52.6 mm
Morrisburg 96 mm
Kemptville 93 mm
Westport 82.8 mm
