Ottawa rainfall records teetering already with soggy start to August

Even before Thursday’s deluge, Ottawa had already recorded 50.3 millimetres of rain in the first nine days of this month.

Published Aug 10, 2023 • Last updated 1 hour ago • 1 minute read

Flooding along the Kichi Zibi Mikan road (formerly the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway) created havoc for vehicles and their drivers on Thursday. Photo by Jean Levac /Postmedia

August showers bring May … Wait! What?

Once the month of brown lawns and parched plants, the last two Augusts have been extraordinarily wet ones in Ottawa.

Article content

Thursday’s downpour, which flooded underpasses, neighbourhoods and the Merivale Road Costco, came barely a year after another deluge. More than 105 millimetres of rain drenched the city on Aug. 7-8, 2022, the bulk of the 189 millimetres overall that fell that month, making it the second rainiest August since record keeping began. The record of 204.2 millimetres was set in August 1893.

Advertisement 2

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Exclusive articles from Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, Andrew Duffy, Bruce Deachman and others. Plus, food reviews and event listings in the weekly newsletter, Ottawa, Out of Office. Unlimited online access to Ottawa Citizen and 15 news sites with one account. Ottawa Citizen ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism.

SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

REGISTER TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors.

The rainiest month in Ottawa history was July 1899, when 250 millimetres of rain fell. Four of the wettest months in the city’s history have occurred this century: July 2017, 249.8 mm; July 2009, 243.6 mm; June 2002, 204.2 mm; and the aforementioned August 2022, 189.

Thursday’s total rainfall won’t be confirmed until Friday, but it seemed certain to surpass the previous rainfall record for Aug. 10 of 67.0 millimetres set in 2004.

Ottawa had already recorded 50.3 millimetres of rain in the first nine days of this month. A normal August in Ottawa has about 85 millimetres of rain.

The rainiest day in Ottawa history was Sept. 9, 2004, when an astonishing 108.7 millimetres — 4.3 inches — fell in 24 hours.