Snow depths in the region are approximately 40 percent above normal for this time of year, while snow water content is about 50 percent greater than normal says the North Bay Mattawa Conservation Authority.
And it's higher at all sites than it was in mid-March.
The organizations says it's due to the relatively-cool weather of the past two weeks and the snow storm we experienced prior to the Easter weekend.
A significant portion of the snowpack is likely to melt today due to relatively warm daytime and nighttime temperatures and a possible 25-50 mm of rainfall over 24 hours.
The Conservation Authority has issued a Flood Outlook statement, saying last weekend’s rainfall and snow melt has resulted in high water conditions for much of the watercourses in the area. Incoming rainfall will result in exacerbating the already high water conditions and likely to lead to minor flooding in vulnerable areas. Snowmelt due to warm temperatures is likely to cause additional flooding concerns.
Meanwhile, the snow and ice conditions on Parks Creek, North Bay, were assessed this spring for the creek’s capacity to accommodate the season’s increased water flows. If the ice pack remains on the creek when water levels rise, it increases the risk of flooding along the creek.
Due to the early ice melt on Parks Creek, ice removal was not necessary this year.
The mouth of the creek is located at Eva Wardlaw Conservation Area on Lakeshore Drive, the location of a backflood control structure that manages the backflow of high water from Lake Nipissing into the creek.
Snow is measured for depth and water equivalence at three locations in the watershed. Data for the season can be found on the NBMCA website at www.nbmca.on.ca.
North Bay Golf and Country Club (Chippewa Creek Watershed, North Bay)
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Current Average Snow Depth for March 30, 2016 |
33.6 cm (140% of normal) |
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Current Average Water Equivalence for March 30, 2016 |
13.2 cm (153% of normal) |
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Average Snow Depth for March 30, 2015 |
18.9 cm |
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Highest recorded snow depth for March 30 since 1989 |
76.2 cm in 1997 |
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Corbeil Conservation Area (La Vase River Watershed, Corbeil)
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Current Average Snow Depth for March 30, 2016 |
35.7 cm (147% of normal) |
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Current Average Water Equivalence for March 30, 2016 |
11.8 cm (151% of normal) |
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Average Snow Depth for March 30, 2015 |
51.3 cm |
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Highest recorded snow depth for March 30 since 1988 |
71.9 cm in 2014 |
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Shirley Skinner Conservation Area (Kaibuskong River Watershed, Chisholm)
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Current Average Snow Depth for March 30, 2016 |
38.8 cm (127% of normal) |
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Current Average Water Equivalence for March 30, 2016 |
12.7 cm (140% of normal) |
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Average Snow Depth for March 30, 2015 Highest recorded snow depth for March 30 since 2007 |
59.2 cm 65.9 cm in 2014 |