Ontario's Weather Forecast Predicts A Wet & Rainy New Year's Eve With Widespread Flood Watches
Trade your dress shoes for rubber boots!
Rainy CN Tower skyline. Right: Fireworks in Toronto.
New Year's Eve is almost here, and while you may be planning on ringing it in with a bang — it could get wet and rainy.
If you're planning on catching a fireworks show, dancing all night or heading out for a celebratory meal, you'll want to add an umbrella and maybe some rubber boots to your checklist.
Flood watches have been issued across southern Ontario as the province warms up from its winter storm earlier this month.
The snowstorm left the province with plenty of snow, and as the temperature rises above freezing, the snow will begin to melt away into local bodies of water, ditches and more.
The Weather Network (TWN) says along with the warmer weather, plenty of rain is expected to fall, with 30 to 40 millimetres of rain in southwestern Ontario, up to 35 millimetres in the GTA, and 10 to 20 millimetres along the eastern shore of Lake Superior and Georgian Bay starting as early as Friday and lasting into the Saturday night.
"As a result of the forecast rain and above-freezing temperatures, elevated runoff can be in areas of southern Ontario that currently have less than 20 cm of accumulated snowpack," reads the provincial warning.
"Some melt of this snowpack will increase the potential for runoff, elevating levels and flows in the region’s river and streams. Areas with deeper snow accumulations should not be similarly affected, with the majority of the forecast precipitation getting absorbed and retained in the snowpack."
According to the provincial warning, Ontario will see temps of five degrees and higher leading up to January 1.
Thankfully major flooding isn't expected, but localized flooding may hit areas with bad drainage, flood plains or low-lying areas.
Environment Canada has issued 20 rainfall warnings across southern Ontario, with 20 to 35 millimetres of rain expected to fall starting Friday night and into Saturday evening.
Toronto is under a rainfall warning, and EC is warning that "heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads" and to keep children and pets away from creeks and rivers.
The rainfall warning isn't expected to continue into New Year's Day in southern Ontario, and according to TWN, New Year's Day in Toronto will be slightly brighter with a mix of sun and clouds.