Stock image of lightning on the Prairies. (ID 130704474 © Menno van der Haven | Dreamstime.com)

By Glenn Hicks

mega storm

P.A. area farmers recount big thunderstorm

May 21, 2020 | 1:34 PM

As far as storms go, locals who know a thing or two about the weather are figuring last night’s light show and deluge – which brought over three inches to one spot – was one of the biggest in recent memory.

And you know you’re in the midst of a serious thunderstorm when it moves things around in your house.

“Incredible lightning and thunder,” Rod Zelensky who farms just east of Prince Albert told paNOW. “Our house was rattling… it knocked a jar off our window sill; incredible.”

Zelensky has been farming for around 40 years and appreciates the wet offering. He received 69 millimeters in total for the 24 hours Wednesday through Thursday, which is 2.7 inches.

Rod Zelensky welcomed the heavy rains after what has been a very dry spring so far.(Submitted/Rod Zelensky)

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“I think it was very good for us to have that rain: for the forest fires and for just how dry it was.”

Sheldon Dowling in MacDowall has been farming for over 30 years and was on the receiving end of just over three inches of rain, or just over 76 millimetres for the period Wednesday 6 a.m. to Thursday 6 a.m.

But during one stage of the storms Wednesday night it really hammered down.

“Between nine and 10 o’clock, in that hour, we had 1.1 inches,” he said. “It’s pretty rare in recent history.” He noted the unprecedented rainfall of 2015 is the only other time he can recall it being so severe.

For farmers like Sheldon Dowling in MacDowall, Wednesday night’s rain was perhaps more than he’d like to see in one event during his seeding time, but he’s not complaining. (submitted photo/Sheldon Dowling)

And despite his fields taking on more rain that he’d want in such a short span, he’s not complaining.

“I don’t think we ever need that much rain in a single event that fast,” he said. “But last spring after we were done seeding it was almost six weeks before we got any rain, so I’m not going to wish it away.”

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glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow