Calgary area hit by torrential rain, flooding
Flooded basements, floating manhole covers, and stalled cars in some parts of city
Heavy rain and thunderstorms continue to cause problems in southern Alberta Friday afternoon.
As of 5:00 p.m. there were tornado warnings for the M.D. of Willow Creek near Claresholm and Stavely and for Lethbridge and several surrounding communities.
Tornado warnings were lifted hours later.
There are also numerous thunderstorm watches and warnings across the south of the province.
- Environment Canada warnings and watches
- Send us your weather photos at [email protected].
The Calgary Fire Department reported a spike in flood-related calls Friday afternoon.
There's been some overland flooding in Shawnessy that's resulted in water in some basements.
Manhole covers floated off in the northwest, while in the community of Hawkwood, a vehicle got trapped in deep water.
There are also reports of problems with street lights in parts of the city.
The City of Calgary says up to 90 mm of rain is expected from midday Friday through to Sunday.
City staff have been releasing water from the Glenmore Reservoir to accommodate the forecasted rainfall, which has resulted in flows on the Elbow River increasing.
People are being warned to keep a safe distance from the banks of the Elbow until further notice.
Calgary Transit is urging people to give themselves extra travel time, as unpredictable weather can create major delays, especially on city buses.
The Calgary Stampede is a washout again Friday with only the brave venturing down to the grounds in wet weather gear.
"There are lots of indoor activities to take advantage of," says Stampede spokesperson Jennifer Booth.
"We know we're an outdoor show, so we've always had a really good balance of indoor and outdoor activities for visitors."
The Stampede is again offering $5 entry between 5-7 p.m. to try to boost attendance.