Don’t let today’s milder temperatures fool you – a blast of wintery weather is on its way.
Environment Canada is calling for as much a 10-25mm of rain this evening through Thursday afternoon before the mercury starts to drop.
Officials say Chatham-Kent residents can expect a mix of freezing rain and ice pellets Thursday, changing to snow Thursday evening into Friday morning. At this point, we can expect to see between 4 and 8 cm piling up.
In the meantime, the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority will be keeping an eye on local waterways. The warmer temperatures will melt most of the remaining snow, however since the ground is frozen, there could be issues with ponding and localized flooding in low lying areas.
It’s possible the Thames River could rise enough to break up the ice and create unsafe conditions, including the possibility of ice jams similar to events in 2011 and 2019.
LTVCA officials say they are prepared to operate the McGregor Creek Diversion Channel if necessary.