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Editorial: Rain, rain

While precipitation can be reassuring to those in the agricultural sector, too much of a good thing can be worrisome.
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Rain, rain, go away, come again another day. 

Many Airdronians were probably uttering that nursery rhyme to themselves in recent days, as the city found itself amid a days-long rainfall and wind warning. 

As of press time, nearly 100 millimetres of precipitation had fallen in the Calgary region between Sunday and Tuesday night, according to that city's municipal government, following a rainfall warning issued by Environment Canada. Given Airdrie's proximity to Calgary, a similar amount of precipitation likely fell here. 

Not that you'd need actual confirmation, though. If you've gone outside or even looked out the window in the last few days, you've probably noticed how wet and windy it's been. Adding to the heavy rains, 90-kilometre-an-hour winds also brought down trees and branches, presenting additional risk of property damage.

This spring has been a stark contrast to last year in Alberta, when dry, hot weather led to an aggressive wildfire season in B.C. and Saskatchewan, which worsened local air quality. 

While precipitation can be reassuring to those in the agricultural sector, too much of a good thing can be worrisome – as we experienced this week, with many parts of Alberta under flood watch, high streamflow advisories, or flash-flood warnings. Airdrie didn't declare a state of emergency, but the City of Calgary did, as officials there scrambled to ensure the Elbow and Bow rivers did not overflow like they so notoriously did in 2013. 

Speaking of 2013, the days-long downpour (which was still off-and-on as of our newsroom's press time) certainly brought back flashbacks of that catastrophic event, which devastated communities like High River and Bragg Creek. The only good thing that came out of those floods was the lesson they taught in the importance of local and regional flood mitigation strategies. It definitely felt like governments were more prepared this time around. 


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