PHOTOS: Downpours lead to flooding in the National Capital Region
Slow-moving severe thunderstorms brought drenching rains to parts of southern Ontario during the day Thursday.
The storms tapped into a reserve of ample tropical moisture aloft, allowing the downpours to quickly inundate parts of the region. The water cut off numerous roads and reportedly stranded some drivers around Ottawa and Gatineau.
GET THE LATEST: Severe storms, flooding rains washing over Ontario on Thursday
Due to heavy rain, several streets around #OttCity are experiencing flooding.Please follow @Ottawa_Traffic for the latest updates on street closures and more. pic.twitter.com/lnsQYZ4jqJ
Due to heavy rain, several streets around City of Ottawa on Twitter: "Due to heavy rain, several streets around #OttCity are experiencing flooding.Please follow @Ottawa_Traffic for the latest updates on street closures and more. pic.twitter.com/lnsQYZ4jqJ / Twitter" are experiencing flooding.
Please follow City of Ottawa on Twitter: "Due to heavy rain, several streets around #OttCity are experiencing flooding.Please follow @Ottawa_Traffic for the latest updates on street closures and more. pic.twitter.com/lnsQYZ4jqJ / Twitter" for the latest updates on street closures and more. City of Ottawa on Twitter: "Due to heavy rain, several streets around #OttCity are experiencing flooding.Please follow @Ottawa_Traffic for the latest updates on street closures and more. pic.twitter.com/lnsQYZ4jqJ / Twitter"— City of Ottawa (@ottawacity) City of Ottawa on Twitter: "Due to heavy rain, several streets around #OttCity are experiencing flooding.Please follow @Ottawa_Traffic for the latest updates on street closures and more. pic.twitter.com/lnsQYZ4jqJ / Twitter"
Ottawa measured 72 mm of rain through the middle of Thursday afternoon, with most of that rain falling in about 60-90 minutes just after the lunch hour. Some areas just southwest of the city may have seen higher totals, with similar estimates also showing 50+ mm falling just north of the provincial border in Quebec.
Such a glut of rain falling in a short period of time quickly overwhelmed the ability of storm sewers and waterways to handle the runoff, leading to localized flooding.
Residents posted photos and videos of the fast-rising waters throughout the area. Check out some of the scenes from the National Capital Region on Thursday, below.
Timelapse of the first storm as it began dumping rain and hail on Ottawa. ⏰Wait for the lightning ⚡️striking Place-de-Ville (the tallest building in downtown core)@ctvottawa @CBCOttawa @weathernetwork #shareyourweather #ONStorm #onwx #ottnews pic.twitter.com/xNU4GAviLK
Timelapse of the first storm as it began dumping rain and hail on Ottawa.
⏰Wait for the lightning ⚡️striking Place-de-Ville (the tallest building in downtown core)Andrew Macklin-WX on Twitter: "Timelapse of the first storm as it began dumping rain and hail on Ottawa. ⏰Wait for the lightning ⚡️striking Place-de-Ville (the tallest building in downtown core)@ctvottawa @CBCOttawa @weathernetwork #shareyourweather #ONStorm #onwx #ottnews pic.twitter.com/xNU4GAviLK / Twitter" Andrew Macklin-WX on Twitter: "Timelapse of the first storm as it began dumping rain and hail on Ottawa. ⏰Wait for the lightning ⚡️striking Place-de-Ville (the tallest building in downtown core)@ctvottawa @CBCOttawa @weathernetwork #shareyourweather #ONStorm #onwx #ottnews pic.twitter.com/xNU4GAviLK / Twitter" Andrew Macklin-WX on Twitter: "Timelapse of the first storm as it began dumping rain and hail on Ottawa. ⏰Wait for the lightning ⚡️striking Place-de-Ville (the tallest building in downtown core)@ctvottawa @CBCOttawa @weathernetwork #shareyourweather #ONStorm #onwx #ottnews pic.twitter.com/xNU4GAviLK / Twitter" Andrew Macklin-WX on Twitter: "Timelapse of the first storm as it began dumping rain and hail on Ottawa. ⏰Wait for the lightning ⚡️striking Place-de-Ville (the tallest building in downtown core)@ctvottawa @CBCOttawa @weathernetwork #shareyourweather #ONStorm #onwx #ottnews pic.twitter.com/xNU4GAviLK / Twitter" Andrew Macklin-WX on Twitter: "Timelapse of the first storm as it began dumping rain and hail on Ottawa. ⏰Wait for the lightning ⚡️striking Place-de-Ville (the tallest building in downtown core)@ctvottawa @CBCOttawa @weathernetwork #shareyourweather #ONStorm #onwx #ottnews pic.twitter.com/xNU4GAviLK / Twitter" Andrew Macklin-WX on Twitter: "Timelapse of the first storm as it began dumping rain and hail on Ottawa. ⏰Wait for the lightning ⚡️striking Place-de-Ville (the tallest building in downtown core)@ctvottawa @CBCOttawa @weathernetwork #shareyourweather #ONStorm #onwx #ottnews pic.twitter.com/xNU4GAviLK / Twitter" Andrew Macklin-WX on Twitter: "Timelapse of the first storm as it began dumping rain and hail on Ottawa. ⏰Wait for the lightning ⚡️striking Place-de-Ville (the tallest building in downtown core)@ctvottawa @CBCOttawa @weathernetwork #shareyourweather #ONStorm #onwx #ottnews pic.twitter.com/xNU4GAviLK / Twitter" Andrew Macklin-WX on Twitter: "Timelapse of the first storm as it began dumping rain and hail on Ottawa. ⏰Wait for the lightning ⚡️striking Place-de-Ville (the tallest building in downtown core)@ctvottawa @CBCOttawa @weathernetwork #shareyourweather #ONStorm #onwx #ottnews pic.twitter.com/xNU4GAviLK / Twitter"
No hail, but lots of rain near Mt Forest. @weathernetwork #onstorm pic.twitter.com/pcHrM7o4Ik
No hail, but lots of rain near Mt Forest. Mark Robinson on Twitter: "No hail, but lots of rain near Mt Forest. @weathernetwork #onstorm pic.twitter.com/pcHrM7o4Ik / Twitter" Mark Robinson on Twitter: "No hail, but lots of rain near Mt Forest. @weathernetwork #onstorm pic.twitter.com/pcHrM7o4Ik / Twitter" Mark Robinson on Twitter: "No hail, but lots of rain near Mt Forest. @weathernetwork #onstorm pic.twitter.com/pcHrM7o4Ik / Twitter"
— Mark Robinson (@StormhunterTWN) Mark Robinson on Twitter: "No hail, but lots of rain near Mt Forest. @weathernetwork #onstorm pic.twitter.com/pcHrM7o4Ik / Twitter"
Well. That got a little intense. #Ottawa #onstorm pic.twitter.com/HfPZVV0Zga
Well. That got a little intense. Darcy Knoll on Twitter: "Well. That got a little intense. #Ottawa #onstorm pic.twitter.com/HfPZVV0Zga / Twitter" Darcy Knoll on Twitter: "Well. That got a little intense. #Ottawa #onstorm pic.twitter.com/HfPZVV0Zga / Twitter" Darcy Knoll on Twitter: "Well. That got a little intense. #Ottawa #onstorm pic.twitter.com/HfPZVV0Zga / Twitter"
— Darcy Knoll (@darcyknoll) Darcy Knoll on Twitter: "Well. That got a little intense. #Ottawa #onstorm pic.twitter.com/HfPZVV0Zga / Twitter"
Ottawa. Early pm. That was intense..#ottnews #ONStorm #ottweather #ONwx pic.twitter.com/nI9sJWtLP7
Ottawa. Early pm. That was intense..Ian Black on Twitter: "Ottawa. Early pm. That was intense..#ottnews #ONStorm #ottweather #ONwx pic.twitter.com/nI9sJWtLP7 / Twitter" Ian Black on Twitter: "Ottawa. Early pm. That was intense..#ottnews #ONStorm #ottweather #ONwx pic.twitter.com/nI9sJWtLP7 / Twitter" Ian Black on Twitter: "Ottawa. Early pm. That was intense..#ottnews #ONStorm #ottweather #ONwx pic.twitter.com/nI9sJWtLP7 / Twitter" Ian Black on Twitter: "Ottawa. Early pm. That was intense..#ottnews #ONStorm #ottweather #ONwx pic.twitter.com/nI9sJWtLP7 / Twitter" Ian Black on Twitter: "Ottawa. Early pm. That was intense..#ottnews #ONStorm #ottweather #ONwx pic.twitter.com/nI9sJWtLP7 / Twitter"
— Ian Black (@BlacksWeather) Ian Black on Twitter: "Ottawa. Early pm. That was intense..#ottnews #ONStorm #ottweather #ONwx pic.twitter.com/nI9sJWtLP7 / Twitter"
Definitely got pea sized hail in New Edinburgh as well as some really freaky lightning and a brief but scary strong gust of wind reminiscent of the derecho. pic.twitter.com/mu7DoeiM8b
Definitely got pea sized hail in New Edinburgh as well as some really freaky lightning and a brief but scary strong gust of wind reminiscent of the derecho. Sean Flynn on Twitter: "Definitely got pea sized hail in New Edinburgh as well as some really freaky lightning and a brief but scary strong gust of wind reminiscent of the derecho. pic.twitter.com/mu7DoeiM8b / Twitter"
pic.twitter.com/vKkKgiOoFE
Steely Man on Twitter: "pic.twitter.com/vKkKgiOoFE / Twitter"
— Steely Man (@dfajcz) Steely Man on Twitter: "pic.twitter.com/vKkKgiOoFE / Twitter"
onstorm #Ottawa #Nepean #hail #rain #windKeeping an eye on the storm in Ottawa. pic.twitter.com/8rn2TfAyua
Lloyd on Twitter: "#onstorm #Ottawa #Nepean #hail #rain #windKeeping an eye on the storm in Ottawa. pic.twitter.com/8rn2TfAyua / Twitter" Lloyd on Twitter: "#onstorm #Ottawa #Nepean #hail #rain #windKeeping an eye on the storm in Ottawa. pic.twitter.com/8rn2TfAyua / Twitter" Lloyd on Twitter: "#onstorm #Ottawa #Nepean #hail #rain #windKeeping an eye on the storm in Ottawa. pic.twitter.com/8rn2TfAyua / Twitter" Lloyd on Twitter: "#onstorm #Ottawa #Nepean #hail #rain #windKeeping an eye on the storm in Ottawa. pic.twitter.com/8rn2TfAyua / Twitter" Lloyd on Twitter: "#onstorm #Ottawa #Nepean #hail #rain #windKeeping an eye on the storm in Ottawa. pic.twitter.com/8rn2TfAyua / Twitter" Lloyd on Twitter: "#onstorm #Ottawa #Nepean #hail #rain #windKeeping an eye on the storm in Ottawa. pic.twitter.com/8rn2TfAyua / Twitter"
Keeping an eye on the storm in Ottawa. Lloyd on Twitter: "#onstorm #Ottawa #Nepean #hail #rain #windKeeping an eye on the storm in Ottawa. pic.twitter.com/8rn2TfAyua / Twitter"— Lloyd (@Lloyd_E_M) Lloyd on Twitter: "#onstorm #Ottawa #Nepean #hail #rain #windKeeping an eye on the storm in Ottawa. pic.twitter.com/8rn2TfAyua / Twitter"
Header image: Courtesy Mark Robinson. Taken August 10 near Drumbo, Ontario.
