Rainfall warning and flood warning extended and expanded

The North Bay area is part of a rainfall warning issued by Environment Canada.

The rain expected to start tomorrow and it may be heavy at times.

With the ground already near saturation many areas have little ability to absorb further rainfall.

Total rainfall amounts of 25 to 40 mm are forecast by late Friday night.

Local amounts exceeding 50 mm are possible in some areas.

Meantime, the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority has extended and expanded the flood warning.

It’s now in effect until next Thursday and includes Lake Nipissing.

The authority says with the rain, snow melt and runoff of water we could get up to 50 mm in North Bay in the coming week.

Since April 18th, 55 mm of precipitation has fallen and 100 mm of water content in the snow has melted.

The authority says Lake Nipissing’s water level will be 15 cm above its summer operating level by the weekend.

It says flooding could occur by next Thursday with properties along Lake Nipissing and Callander Bay possibly being threatened.

The authority says flooding is already occurring in some low lying areas along the Mattawa River.

It’s also happening along other lakes where there’s large runoff.

Also, other lakes including Wasi Lake, Trout Lake, Lake Talon and Lake Nosbonsing currently have very high water levels and they’re expected to go up with more rain on the way.

If there’s an intense rain Chippewa Creek’s level could go up as well.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has issued a flood warning.

It’s in effect until next Tuesday.

(file photo courtesy North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority)