The thunderstorm that dropped approximately five inches (125 millimetres) of rain on some parts of Estevan on July 10 was the most significant storm to blast the Energy City this year, but it’s not the only powerful storm in recent weeks.
Terri Lang, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, said their automatic recording station at the Estevan Airport has received 322.2 millimetres of rain between May 1 and July 10, although those numbers could vary compared to the amount recorded within city limits.
And while May, June and July are the three wettest months of the year on average in Estevan, the normal rainfall for those three months is still only 194.4 millimetres.
“We’re almost getting to double that,” said Lang.
Estevan received 95.1 millimetres in May, compared to the monthly average of 52.2 millimetres, and 131.1 millimetres in June, compared to the 74.8 millimetres it would receive in a normal year. July has resulted in 94 millimetres in the first 10 days, which is already above the full-month average of 67.5 millimetres.
“I think most people think that most of the precipitation for the year falls in the winter months, but … the winter is kind of the dry months,” said Lang.
Most of the precipitation comes through the rain showers and thunderstorms in the late spring and the summer.
“It’s what the farmers count on and it’s what the rivers and streams count on, as well,” said Lang. “This is just taking it a bit too much. I know the previous months had been quite dry for Estevan, and the winter was quite dry, but you seem to be making up for it now over the last three months.”
And all of that moisture creates problems when Estevan does receive a rain event like it did on July 10.
“The ground is already saturated from previous rains, so its ability to absorb more rain is quite limited,” said Lang. “Obviously, it’s been quite wet in the southeast part of the province, and this rainfall yesterday just came too fast for the sewer systems to handle it, and for the ground to be able to handle it.”
The storm that dropped all the rain on Estevan then made its way across Saskatchewan on July 10 and 11.
Another system was expected to strike Estevan in the early morning of July 11, but it didn’t, and Estevan did enjoy a reprieve from the rain for a while that day. There was even some sunshine and some strong winds to help with the drying process. But the rain was expected to return in the evening of July 11, and linger through the following day, bringing 25 to 30 millimetres to the city.
The forecast is for drier and warmer conditions in the Estevan area for the end of the week.
“Here’s hoping that the weather pattern holds, and that everyone can dry up a little bit,” said Lang.
