Warnings for localized flooding, ice jams issued for GTA
Forecasters are closely monitoring a powerful Texas low that is set to bring powerful winds, snow, rain, and the chance of thuderstorms to southern Ontario this weekend.
The stormy weather conditions have prompted The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) to issue a water safety and shoreline hazard warning, which includes regions along the Lake Ontario shoreline.
The TRCA states that "all shorelines, rivers, and streams within the GTA should be considered hazardous," and caution should be exercised around all bodies of water.
The warming temperatures and forecast of 10-15 mm of rain increases the risk that rivers in the GTA will experience higher water levels and flows, which could result in flooding and other hazardous conditions.
Ponding could occur in low-lying areas, banks could become unstable, and ice jamming could create hazardous conditions along the river.
It is recommended that people stay away from waterways, even if they appear to be frozen, and children and pets should be kept away from slippery banks due to their potential instability.
Numerous ice jams and localized flooding have occured in various parts of the GTA including portions of the Humber River near Old Mill Road in Toronto, as well as one in Bolton at King Street East and Old King Road.
Ice jams occur when large chunks of ice pile up and block the flow of a river, usually triggered by rising temperatures, and can cause the river to rise. In early February a state of emergency was issued for Chatham-Kent, when an ice jam caused the Thames River to rise more than four metres than normal, and caused flooding of nearby roads.
With files from the TRCA and CBC News.
