Record rainfall in Ottawa

Record rainfall in Ottawa Eastern Ontario drenched with a downpour as Kingston’s flooded roads leaves drivers stranded. CTV’s Shaun Vardon reports.

OTTAWA — A major storm system that moved over Ottawa Saturday morning flooded roads and parks as it dumped a record amount of rain.

As of 5 p.m., 50.6 mm of rain fell at the Ottawa International Airport, while another weather station recorded 48.3 mm of rain.

On Sunday morning, Environment Canada reported the official total at the airport to be 49.4 mm, eclipsing the previous record for rainfall on Oct. 16 of 26 mm, set back in 2002.

Heavy rain Saturday morning flooded roads and parks across Ottawa. Giant pools of water formed on Queen Elizabeth Driveway, while in the Glebe Sunnyside Street had a large puddle covering the road and sidewalk.

The heavy rain also caused some flooding in the underground parking area at Place d'Orleans Saturday morning. The mall tells CTV News Ottawa there was no damage from the flooding, and the parking area remains open.

The City of Ottawa said Saturday morning that 311 lines were busy, reminding residents that they can also report flooding on their streets online. Ottawa police also warned of reports of flooding early Saturday morning.

A rainfall warning for Ottawa ended just before 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Environment Canada had called for up to 60 mm of rain to fall in some parts of the region.

In Kingston, Environment Canada reported 60 mm of rain, with about 50 mm of that falling within the space of an hour during an intense downpour. Meteorologists also reported 47 mm of rain in Carleton Place and between 40 and 45 mm in Kemptville.

Heavy rain in Kingston

"It was up to about here," said Matthew Belear, showing on his leg how high the water came up. "I was joking I've got a paddle board in my car I should get one of those out."

Belear was one of several motorists that stalled on King Street as the heavy rain came down.

"My son and I hydroplaned a little bit back there, and we got here and we stopped immediately, put four ways on," said Belear. "I made it all the way through. The vehicle stalled because there was too much water. The tow truck that came to get me, he stalled out too.”

Storm remnants of pacific hurricane

Environment Canada's senior climatologist David Phillips told Newstalk 580 CFRA on Friday that the system moving into the region is a remnant of Hurricane Pamela in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

"Pamela ... made landfall on the western side of Mexico Wednesday," he explained. "Gave a real wet day for Texas (Thursday), and (Friday) over the Midwestern part of the United States."

Showers will end in Ottawa Saturday evening. Becoming partly cloudy after midnight. Low 7 C.

The average high for this time of the year is closer to 12 C and the average low is around 3 C.

Sunday is looking mainly cloudy, with a high of 13 C and a 40 per cent chance of showers in the afternoon.

Monday's outlook includes a mix of sun and cloud with a 30 per cent chance of showers and a high of 9 C.

Tuesday is looking mainly cloudy with 30 per cent chance of showers and a high of 12 C.

With files from CTV News Ottawa's Kimberley Johnson, Josh Pringle and Shaun Vardon