Crews across Edmonton are clearing roads, debris and water after a severe Saturday night thunderstorm descended upon the city. A spokesperson for the City of Edmonton said late Sunday morning the storm, which brought intense winds and heavy rainfall, resulted in several reports of power outages, localized flooding and downed trees. Major roads such as Yellowhead Trail and Whitemud Drive saw flooding Saturday night and are now cleared, while crews continue to work to clear others such as northbound Groat Road from River Valley Road to 107 Avenue and Connors Road at the 98 Avenue bridge, both of which have been reduced to one lane. People can report service disruptions or issues to the city via the 311 service both online and on the phone. According to Environment Canada data, almost 30 millimetres fell at a central Edmonton weather station from 9-11 p.m. on Saturday, with wind speeds averaging 39 kilometres per hour from 9-10 p.m. The storm forced the stoppage and cancellation of several major events Saturday, including Post Malone’s concert at Commonwealth Stadium and the Edmonton Riverhawks game at Re/Max Field. Several videos shared to social media from the Commonwealth concert showed spectators, who were told to seek shelter in the concourse, leaving the seating areas en masse as rain fell heavily. Underneath the stands, rain swept in to drench the crowd further. The crowd watching baseball’s Riverhawks play the Kelowna Falcons, too, relocated to the concourse, some watching the storm from underneath the canopy at the top of the grandstand. Those attending the KDays summer exhibition and midway vacated the grounds for the Edmonton Expo Centre to shelter from the downpour and lightning. More to come.
