30 to 60 mm of rain possible in Halifax and along the Atlantic coast

Rain, heavy at times, is expected along the Atlantic coast of mainland Nova Scotia from Thursday afternoon until Friday morning.

Total rainfall amounts are forecasted to range from 30 to 60 mm, with locally higher amounts possible.

According to Environment Canada, a brief period of snow is expected before the precipitation switches over to rain. Mild temperatures and strong winds will accompany the rain, leading to significant snowmelt and increased runoff.

“Given the fact that the ground is still frozen, it’s going to be mild enough that we will see some snow melting, and we are going to have that rain falling, sometimes heavy, which may have some localized flooding and water pooling on our roadways,” said 95.7 NewsRadio Weather Specialist Allister Aalders.

The winds will pick up on Thursday as well, with gusts expected to be in the 60-80 km/h range.

Temperatures are hovering just above freezing at 2 C.

With a fair amount of rain in the forecast today, Halifax Water reminds people to clear their storm drains and catch basins to help prevent flooding.

The combination of rain, higher temperatures, and the snow and ice still around is likely to create some surface-level runoff, according to Halifax Water.

The utility says that means the risk of localized flooding goes up. That’s why it is asking residents to clear their storm drains and catch basins and ensure they’re not blocked to help reduce the risk of flooding.

Halifax Water says customers with driveway culverts should ensure that snow is not blocking the flow of water, adding that they welcome and encourage customers to remove snow from hydrants if they are able and it is safe to do so.

For more information on the locations of storm drains and catch basins, people can head to halifax.ca.