With a wet start to summer in the North Thompson area, Environment Canada issued a warning on June 27 that incoming storms would dump heavy rains for the North Thompson, and especially the Kamloops area, with upwards of 15 millimetres of rain over a short period of time. Thunder storms and rain have also been an everyday occurrence since June 26.
Last Sunday produced the most sunshine that many Lower North Thompson residents had seen for a week, but even that didn’t last too long. Sunday and Monday were very wet, and the rumble of thunder and flashes of lightning in the sky were almost outdone by the high winds that accompanied them. Monday evening and early Tuesday morning the downpours were exceptional, and by Tuesday afternoon area waterways were once again rising with the challenge.
The North Thompson River rose up a considerable amount again, and the forecast for Wednesday at press time on Tuesday, June 30, was for 50 to 70 mm of rain for the upper North Thompson. All that water will be heading south and pushing the river up once again. Those who live along its banks are starting to make some preparations in case of flooding. Livestock in many areas of the valley have already found themselves being moved to different pastures as the North Thompson slowly, and in some areas not so slowly, encroaches into their grazing areas. Cattle on summer pastures at Roundtop were almost having to swim to cross some areas on Tuesday, which caused worry for their owners who started making plans to quickly move their livestock if it gets any worse.Farms along the North Thompson in the Darfield area have plenty of water in their river pastures, and hayfields in Vinsulla have been flooded, resulting in extensive financial loses due to lost crops.
The long range forecast for July 1 and through Thursday was for more rain, with AccuWeather issuing the following statement, “There is significant concern for moderate rain and flows in the Quesnel River (Cariboo Mountains), the North Thompson (Blue River/Clearwater region), and South Thompson (Shuswap). Although the rainfall amounts may not be exceptionally heavy, the severity of this event pertains to the resulting rising rivers.”
Those who live along the North Thompson and other area waterways and streams are advised to be cautious of unstable river and stream banks due to the high water. Please make sure that children are kept away from these fast moving waterbodies, and that pets are on a leash at all times near fast moving waterways.