The skies over Calgary are about to open up, and not in the way our city typically experiences precipitation. After weeks of relatively mild weather, Environment Canada is warning Calgarians to prepare for what could become one of the most significant rainfall events of the season. Having covered numerous weather events across our city over my years at LCN, this one has some concerning elements that residents should take seriously.
According to Environment Canada’s latest advisory, Calgary and surrounding areas could see between 50-75mm of rainfall between Friday evening and late Sunday. To put that in perspective, our average monthly rainfall for June typically hovers around 80mm. We’re potentially looking at receiving nearly that amount in just 48 hours.
“This is definitely going to be a significant rainfall event,” says Theresa Klein, meteorologist with Environment Canada’s Calgary office. “While not unprecedented, the intensity and duration combined make this something residents should prepare for.”
The rainfall is expected to begin Friday evening with light showers, intensifying significantly through Saturday afternoon when the heaviest downpours are anticipated. The precipitation forecast shows the system moving slowly across southern Alberta, which increases the flood risk as water has nowhere to go but accumulate.
The City of Calgary’s Water Services Department has already begun preparations. I spoke with Mark Davidson, the department’s director, yesterday afternoon as crews were checking storm drains and flood mitigation infrastructure throughout the city.
“We’ve been monitoring this system since it first appeared on long-range forecasts,” Davidson told me. “Our teams are clearing catch basins in known trouble spots and ensuring our stormwater system can handle the anticipated volumes.”
Areas of particular concern include low-lying neighborhoods near the Bow and Elbow rivers, though Davidson emphasized that the current forecast doesn’t suggest river flooding is likely. Instead, the concern centers on localized flooding in areas with poor drainage or where storm drains might become overwhelmed or clogged.
For those who lived through the devastating floods of 2013, any mention of heavy rainfall inevitably stirs anxiety. However, city officials stress that this situation differs significantly from those conditions, which involved not only heavy rain but also unprecedented mountain snowmelt.
The Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) has moved to elevated monitoring status but hasn’t activated the Emergency Operations Centre yet. They’re advising residents in flood-prone areas to take precautionary measures.
“We’re suggesting Calgarians clear gutters and downspouts, ensure sump pumps are working properly, and move valuable items from basements to higher ground if they’re in areas that have previously experienced water issues,” says CEMA spokesperson Jennifer Morris.
Driving around the Sunnyside neighborhood yesterday, I noticed residents already taking heed of these warnings. Several homeowners were cleaning gutters and moving items from lower levels – a testament to how the 2013 floods changed our city’s relationship with heavy rainfall forecasts.
Calgary Transit is also monitoring the situation closely. Service disruptions are possible, particularly on routes that pass through areas prone to water accumulation. Transit users should check the Calgary Transit app before heading out during the heaviest rainfall periods.
For homeowners, the Insurance Bureau of Canada recommends documenting valuable items in basements and reviewing insurance policies to understand flood coverage. Many Calgarians learned the hard way in previous events that standard home insurance often doesn’t cover overland flooding without specific riders.
“Most policies distinguish between sewer backup and overland flooding,” explains Sarah Patel of the Insurance Bureau’s Alberta office. “It’s important to know exactly what you’re covered for before an event occurs.”
The economic impact of the rainfall will extend beyond potential property damage. Several outdoor events scheduled for the weekend are considering contingency plans or outright cancellations. The popular Lilac Festival on 4th Street SW, expected to draw thousands, is monitoring conditions hourly and may need to scale back certain activities.
For our city’s homeless population, the rainfall presents particular challenges. The Calgary Drop-In Centre and other shelters are preparing for increased demand.
“We’re setting up additional mats and ensuring we have dry clothing available,” says Deborah Raymond of the Drop-In Centre. “During extended rainfall, we typically see a 30-40% increase in people seeking shelter.”
The silver lining to this weather system, if there is one, might be the benefit to our surrounding agricultural areas. Farmers in Rocky View County have faced relatively dry conditions this spring, and the moisture could be beneficial if it doesn’t come all at once causing field flooding.
As someone who’s covered Calgary’s weather patterns for nearly a decade, I’ve observed our city’s increasing resilience to these events. The investments in flood mitigation infrastructure since 2013 have been substantial, though they’ll face a significant test this weekend.
City officials are asking residents to report clogged storm drains and localized flooding through the 311 app or phone line, which will be staffed with additional personnel throughout the weekend.
For now, Calgarians would be wise to adjust weekend plans, prepare properties for heavy rainfall, and keep emergency contact information handy. I’ll be updating our coverage throughout the weekend as this weather system develops.
