Record-breaking rainstorm soaks HRM
Posted Oct 21, 2011 05:15:09 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Nearly 24 hours of heavy rain caused localized flooding, tangled traffic and washed out more than one weather record in Halifax.
The incessant rain started Wednesday evening and didn’t stop until late Thursday night, causing significant disruptions during the evening rush hour.
“It caused a few problems,” Staff Sgt Bill Morris told News 95.7 Friday morning. “We had a few cars try to go through some of the flooded areas and end up getting stalled out. People were getting stranded in their cars and eventually getting pushed or pulled out of the puddles- or, lakes, is what it should be.”
The Bedford Highway was closed between Bayview Road and Mount Saint Vincent University until 10:30 p.m. Thursday.
“Rush hour was a bit of a problem just for the fact that Bedford Highway was closed,” said Morris. “As a safety concern we shut the street down because of the amount of water.”
Barricades are at the intersection of Hammons Plains Road and Bluewater Road due to flooding and it’s not clear when it will reopen.
Environment Canada tells News 95.7 it is still calculating the data but it was probably a record-breaking rainfall.
“We’re pretty confident that it is,” said meteorologist George Parks, Friday morning. “Halifax International (Airport) actually came in with the highest amount across Nova Scotia recording 110 millimeters total and 104 for a 24-hour period.”
The previous record rainfall at the airport was 50.8 mm set in 1961.
With Thursday’s deluge, 242.2 mm of rain has been accumulated so far this October compared to the seasonal norm of 136.4 mm for the month.
The daytime high reached 20.4 degrees, in reach of the existing record of 23.9 degrees, set in 1963.
Thankfully, News 95.7 meteorologist Richard Zurawski predicts drier conditions over the weekend.
“We’re looking at partly cloudy skies for the next few days,” said Richard Zurawski. “We’re not going to get rain. We’re looking at a ridge of high pressure, giving us a great weekend.”
