REGINA — Heavy rains in September are rare for southern Saskatchewan, but many areas were hit hard Sept. 13.
According to Crawford Luke, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, Regina received 50 millimetres, which is equivalent to roughly two inches. Residents in north-central Regina came together to clean up the area after the rains.
The Queen City also had 3.6 millimetres July 12. The rain caused flooding in Regina. No rain was recorded by Environment Canada on Sept. 14.
Areas in the southeast were hit even harder.
A recording station at Moose Mountain Provincial Park, located north of Carlyle, recorded 135 millimetres, which is nearly 5 1/2 inches. Carlyle received 65 millimetres, forcing the Town of Carlyle to ask residents to conserve water use for much of the day Sept. 13 and the morning of Sept. 14, as its systems had to recover from excess moisture. Estevan received 28.2 millimetres.
Luke said it’s pretty rare to have this much rain in Regina and the southeast in September.
“We can see some heavy rainfall in the summertime sometimes, but to get it in September is a little late in the season for sure,” Luke told SaskToday. “This doesn’t happen very often.”
Saskatoon largely averted the moisture. Saskatchewan’s largest city received 1.5 millimetres Sept. 13 and 0.1 the following day.
“Usually at this time of year we’re starting to dry out,” Luke said. “Typically June is our wettest month of the year, and then May and July are the second and third wettest months of the year. As we get into August and especially September, we’re usually getting less and less rain.”
The Estevan area had a head start on the precipitation. The Energy City received 33.2 millimetres on Sept. 12, which Luke said was the most in the province. All of the precipitation came within a two-hour span during a powerful thunderstorm that hit after 9 p.m.
Watrous received approximately 26 millimetres on Sept. 12.
Severe thunderstorm warnings were issued in other parts of the province that day.
As for Sept. 14, the provincial rainfall leader was Big River with 35 millimetres. Luke pointed out the heaviest rain was in the north.
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