Saskatoon streets flood after heavy rain, hail hits city

People in Saskatoon were sent scrambling after a brief storm caused some streets to flood Monday evening.

Heavy rain swept through the city starting around 5 p.m. Some areas received hail.

“We had reports of hail up to the size of quarters, but it seems the more widespread is lots of little hail,” said Environment Canada meteorologist Brad Vrolijk.

People are spotted swimming along Dufferin Avenue in Saskatoon after heavy rain pounded the city July 10, 2017. (Gregory Power/Twitter)

Photos sent in from 650 CKOM listeners showed people’s driveways and decks in the Parkridge neighbourhood so covered in hail, it looked like a snowstorm in July.

Vrolijk said the concern for Saskatoon and area overnight is more rain, given how slow the system is moving from the region.

Saskatoon police received several reports of intersections in the city underwater.

Officers were also on scene on Fairlight Drive where several cars became stranded in water. Police cautioned people of high water in many parts of the city.

The storm caused flash flooding at the intersection of Confederation and Laurier drives in the west end.

Video showed cars trying to move through water-logged streets. City transit buses were halted along Confederation Drive to accommodate the flooding.

Photos posted to social media showed other parts of the city also affected by flooding. Twitter user Gregory Power snapped a photo of people apparently swimming along Dufferin Avenue, meanwhile Melody Lynch posted video of two men canoeing down Adelaide Street.

Dave MacIntosh told 650 CKOM he heard a loud crack and then witnessed lightning hit power lines on the corner of Taylor Street E and Sommerfeld Avenue on July 10, 2017. (Dave MacIntosh)

Kate Morrison was out disc golfing with friends at Diefenbaker Park when the storm hit.

“Ended up hiding out under a tree using Frisbees as shields for our heads while we waited until we could make a break for our vehicle. Safe and sound but soaking wet for sure,” she told 650 CKOM over Facebook.

Dave MacIntosh lives in Holliston and saw lightning hit a power line during the storm just down the street from his home. Power was out in the area for a period of time, with fire trucks on scene at Taylor Street.

“A big lightning flash then a crack, and I just happened to glance down the street and you could see this light lighting up,” he said.

“You could hear the power going through the lines still; they were kind of dancing on the grass.”

And then this happened. #canoeing #skstorm pic.twitter.com/Yrsr2l7BN4

— Melody Lynch (@2_Rubrico) July 11, 2017

In front of Cedar Ridge apartment on Confed #yxe #skstorm people trying to get cars out pic.twitter.com/7qw6Izl8At

— JT Marshall (@jtmarshallCKOM) July 11, 2017

In front of Early’s right now #yxe #skstorm aftermath @CKOMNews pic.twitter.com/3QFDMdIkm3

— JT Marshall (@jtmarshallCKOM) July 11, 2017