WESTLOCK — Some much-needed precipitation is on its way for the region.
After a very dry spring, the Westlock and Barrhead region is expected to receive more in the form of rain and snow in the next two days.
Some area residents may have already noticed a slight improvement in conditions in the last day or two.
“(Barrhead weather station) came in with 8.3 millimeters over the weekend, so not too bad but a long way to go,” said Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECC) meteorologist, Terri Lang, noting the region has had some rainfall in April.
“There was some rain that was received earlier on and so far for the month there’s been about 15 millimetres. Still not a lot because April tends to be a wetter month, (so) certainly it’s continuing that dry trend that we’ve seen ongoing for quite a long time.”
That precipitation fell across the region on April 3, 5, 12, 16,17 and 28 and was recorded on those dates, noted Lang. The amount that has fallen in April this year is about half of what the region typically sees.
“For this time of year with respect to precipitation for April, the 30-year average is about 29 or so millimetres,” she said. “We’re maybe about half of that towards the end of April.”
The province and the prairies will be receiving more relief this week in the form of rain or snow, said Lang thanks to a change in weather patterns.
“There’s a low-pressure system, it’s a very slow-moving low-pressure system that’s going to affect all of the prairies. So mostly everyone’s going to get in on the action,” explained Lang. “It looks like the rain will start tonight (Monday, April 29), it may at times be mixed with snow so people shouldn’t be shocked to see that, it’s still April on the prairies,” she added.
Lang said the system will continue through the day on Tuesday and may still see a “little bit of snow on the tail end (of the system) in the afternoon.”
“It looks there should be some good moisture with this so anywhere from 10 to 20 millimeters is possible, so that’s a good soaking,” said Lang, of the amount expected in the Westlock and Barrhead region. “A little bit of short-term relief and any little bit helps.”
