A steady deluge of rain and ice jams in Matchedash Bay have swelled the banks of the Coldwater River.
Residents of the village west of Orillia say it’s as if spring has arrived a month or two early as a combination of melting snow and persistent rain, coupled with unseasonably mild weather, have led to fast, flowing waters that are threatening to spill over bridges.
Resident Tony Telford said when you look out over the landscape from higher ground, “it looks like one massive lake.” Thankfully, however, the rain has subsided as temperatures have dropped and it appears there is no imminent danger of the river spilling over its banks – at least for now. It’s been over a decade since the Coldwater River, which snakes through the village, breached its banks.
There has been localized flooding throughout the region in recent days as a result of the steady rains.
There is a freezing rain warning in effect in Orillia this morning, which is why school buses in the region were cancelled. There is no more precipitation in the forecast until Friday.
