Rainfall warnings issued for southern Alberta ahead of multi-day event

Another round of moisture is heading into southern Alberta with some areas east of the QEII and Highway 2 expecting significant accumulations in less than two days.

An inverted trough that starts in Colorado will direct rain as far north as central and northern Alberta starting Monday and lasting until early Wednesday.

In anticipation of the persistent rain and the multi-day event, Environment and Climate Change Canada issued rainfall warnings for southeastern Alberta.

The agency noted the bulk of the rain is expected Monday night and Tuesday and that rainfall totals will be variable.

“Widespread rainfall totals of 50 to 70 mm are likely. Locally higher amounts of 80 mm or more are possible.”

Calgary is expecting between 10 to 20 milimetres of rain, however the upsloping nature of this system could mean those totals are higher.

There is the potential brief thunderstorms will develop as the warmer air in southern Alberta clashes with the incoming system, and strong winds may prompt wind warnings in some of the areas currently under rainfall warnings.

As temperatures drop Tuesday areas closer to the foothills and in the mountains could see precipitation fall as mixed precipitation and/or snow.

The daytime high in Calgary Tuesday will be 9 degrees below seasonal.

Conditions will improve throughout the day Wednesday with daytime highs reaching 19 C Thursday and edging into the low 20s by the weekend.

The average daytime high in Calgary is 15C.