Saturday, August 10, 8:30 AM UPDATE: The calm after the storm and the cleanup begins. Just a few more items, Hydro-Québec had nearly 100 crews and contractors on the job overnight, with power out to over 500,000 clients at the height of the storm. That number this morning is down to 161,000.
Many homes were flooded, with firefighters responding to hundreds of calls across the city from west to east and into Laval to pump basements as well as water rescues on area highways.
There are still some road closures Saturday morning so travel with care today.
Yesterday's rainfall not only broke the daily and monthly records for the city, but it was the most rainfall in a single day in Montréal dating back to 1871. The previous record was 93.5mm set on November 8, 1996. We smashed that record easily. The remains of Debby passed just southeast of the city, putting the St. Lawrence Valley in the sweet spot for heavy rain.
Thankfully today will be partly sunny, warmer, 25C (77F), along with some gusty west winds up to 50km/h to help in the drying process. Stay safe.
The first round of rainfall managed to flood several roads in Montréal but not the Decarie Expressway. Such was not the case last evening, when 100mm of rain in just a couple of hours closed down the flood-prone highway once again.
Twitter Photo: @DevinZiggy/TWN10PM UPDATE: This evening's heavy rain has caused major flooding to roads and homes from Vaudreuil-Dorion in the west across the central part of the city and north into Laval. Over 100mm of rain fell over a 4 hour period, including 50mm between 6 and 7pm.
Several major Highways remain flooded, including large stretches of Highway 40 on the West Island and in Saint-Laurent.
Sanivac here on Ile Perrot is responding to over 300 calls for service to pump flood water from basements.
As of 10pm, over 450,000 Hydro-Quebec clients are without power.
Major flooding was also reported in Laval on Friday evening.
Ville de LavalPrevious Posts: A spectacular rainbow has just appeared in the eastern sky here on Ile Perrot after an historic weather day. Tropical Storm Debby dumped two months worth of rain on the region in just a few hours. At my home on Ile Perrot, 175.8mm (6.9 inches) of rain fell since the pre-dawn hours. This is the most rain I have ever recorded at any one location I have lived in over the 48 years I have been observing the weather.
A remarkable 105mm of that total fell between 4pm and 8pm Friday evening. Normal rainfall for August in Montreal is just over 94mm. The rainfall today crushed both the daily record of 76.2mm set in 1917 and the monthly record for August set on the 29th back in 1893.
The result was as expected, numerous highways and ramps were closed during the morning commute creating gridlock, once again focused around our office at Côte-Vertu. The Suburban office building flooded again, as it did back in July during Hurricane Beryl. Many drivers were once again stranded as their vehicles became inundated with water. Some of the same roads have been closed by Transport Québec again this evening due to significant water accumulation.
The rain that hit the city late Friday was even heavier, with more highway closures, including the Decarie Expressway and may roads leading into Trudeau Airport.
Highway 40 was once again closed Friday evening due to flooding.
Transport QuebecOn top of the heavy rainfall, winds gusted close to 80km/h at Trudeau Airport as the final heavy rain pulled across the region. The result has been widespread power outages to over 120,000 Quebec homes and businesses.
The good news is the rain is now over for Ile Perrot, with the back edge pulling across the city as I write. If the rain has not ended in your location, it will soon. Saturday should be sunny and dry, allowing many to assess the damage and begin the cleanup process. Once again insurance adjusters will be busy.
