Tropical Storm Remnants Debby could scupper weekend plans and cause flooding in some Quebec cities. Substantial amounts of rain are expected Friday and Saturday, with accumulations that could reach 100 millimetres in 24 hours in some areas, according to Environment Canada.
On Tuesday, the federal agency issued a special weather statement warning of “heavy rain” that could hit many areas of the province starting Friday. “Flooding is possible in low-lying areas,” Environment Canada said.
In the Montreal Island area, “we can expect flooding similar to that which occurred in July,” explains Michèle Fleury, a meteorologist at Environment Canada. On July 10, the remains of the hurricane Beryl had caused significant delays for motorists in the metropolis by flooding many sections of the motorway.
“In urban areas, we can expect sewer backups and localized flooding of roads, since a lot of water is expected to fall in a short period of time,” she confirms. In its weather bulletin, Environment Canada is not currently predicting rainfall amounts exceeding 50 millimetres in Montreal.
As for flooding in the rest of Quebec, “the provincial government reported that the soil was rather dry and that the rivers were probably able to take some, which should help reduce flooding,” reassures Ms. Fleury. Indeed, the meteorologist points out that to date the northern regions of Quebec are in “rain deficit,” while the southern part of the province is at a level of rainfall “close to normal for this time of year.”
Hurricane Remains Debby
The Hurricane Debby was downgraded to a tropical storm on Monday after making landfall in Florida. In the southeastern United States, the storm caused widespread property damage and the deaths of at least five people, Agence France-Presse reported Tuesday.
In Quebec, a depression system — low atmospheric pressure — is expected to interact in the Appalachians with the moisture associated with the tropical storm Debby to cause the rains expected from Friday afternoon to Saturday morning, according to Michèle Fleury’s explanations.
“However, uncertainty remains regarding the trajectory of this system. The latter will have a great influence on the quantity of precipitation to come as well as on the sectors which will be the most affected,” specifies Environment Canada in its alert issued Tuesday.