According to the National Weather Service’s latest report, Rainy Lake is just centimetres from breaking an all-time record.
Rainy Lake was recorded yesterday at a depth of 1112.7 ft (339.16m), 16.5 inches (42 cm) above the 2014 peak and 3 inches (7 cm) below the record peak set in 1950 (1112.95 ft/339.23m). The level of Rainy lake is expected to rise by 10 to 11 inches (25-28 cm) over the next 7 days, breaking the record 1950 peak. Beyond the 7-day forecast window, the rate of rise will slow but a peak is unlikely before mid June.
On the Rainy River downstream of Fort Frances and International Falls, the river level will rise briefly in the next few days in response to recent rainfall, reaching a crest comparable to previous crests earlier this spring. Beyond that time, levels will decrease slightly but remain above average.
Once levels have peaked, it is expected to take several weeks for levels to decline back to normal summer levels. Areas experiencing flooding and performing mitigation measures should expect to deal with high water levels well into summer, according to the report.
