Could be worse – just south of the border Duluth was removed from the face of the map. Sinkholes swallowed cars, roads and highways washed out, retaining walls collapsed, and mudslides did whatever mudslides do. Two seals were caught swimming down the street trying to make it to Lake Superior. Oh, and the polar bear. Mustn’t forget the polar bear. Photos: Duluth, northeast Minnesota reeling from floods | MPR News
The CanaDoper Café (2012 edition of The great, ongoing Canadian current events and politics thread.)
And more Duluth pics from MPR: Photos: Damage, destruction in wake of record Duluth flood | MPR News
I really feel sorry for that community.
Holy sh!t!! I’ve been completely absorbed in other stuff for the last month; I had no idea Minnesota had been flooded that badly! What other things have I missed?
Muffin, how did Thunder Bay fare? You’re not far from Minnesota; I hope you and your city are OK.
Those are great photos, but I’m wondering about how close the people are–that pavement looks like it could go at any time.
TBay was just on the outskirts of the storm that hit Duluth, so although we received a lot, we did not get anywhere near as much rain as Duluth. There were some tornado watches north west of here, but again we were just on the edge (Kakabeka being the closest). Our water treatment plant was up and running in time for the surge, and although the rivers around here went up to bankfull, they did not overflow the way they did a few weeks ago. Once again, all the work in building the Neebing Floodway saved our bacon.
By comparision, Duluth’s evening storm dumped more than twice a much rain (about 10 inches) as was dumped on TBay on May 28. They received more that four times as much rain in only three hours than they usually receive in the entire month of May. Duluth is built on the side of a hill, so the many little creeks and rivers became torrents that made their own destructive paths, and roads leading down the hill were destroyed. Up on top of the hill, there was so much water waiting to make its way down the hill that people were jet skiing along roads past cars with water up to their roofs. Check out youtube for Duluth flood.
As someone who has spent a lot of his life paddling flooded rivers, I had some WTF! moments watching the Duluth videos in which people were far too close to the torrents. A fellow standing on a sidewalk filming the water emerging out from under it and further erroding the ground under that same sidewalk’s staircase. A woman filming a raging creek as it erroded the ground supporting the bridge upon which she was standing. Pretty stupid, if you ask me.
Of course PETA takes the cake for stupidity – the day after the flood they demanded that charges be laid concerning the animals that drowned at the zoo.
So, Pride Week started a couple of days ago in Toronto. It is a pretty big to do here and planners are expecting one million plus people to line the parade route that will take place on Canada Day. Also, it is estimated that the event will bring in over $130 million to the city and province.
For the second year in a row Toronto mayor (and moron) Rob Ford turned down an invite to take part in the parade, or any pride activities really. Last year he said it was because his family has a long standing tradition at their cottage on the Canada Day long weekend.
On Friday afternoon I am listening to CBC 1 in Toronto and there is some sound bite of a mumbling Rob Ford saying he wasn’t taking part again this year. Cut to some guy on the street who expresses disappointment that Ford was ignoring such an important thing to the city of Toronto to go cottaging*.
:eek: :rolleyes: 
I have no idea if the guy intentionally slipped that one by everyone or if the phrasing was just a coincidence.
* Link to Urban Dictionary.
Thanks, Muffin. Good to know that you and your city are fine.
Three new tiger cubs at the Calgary zoo - Samkha, Vasili, and the not yet named female cub. Can I get a “SQUEEEEEE!”?
Well, I generally don’t “squee,” but those are some great little tiger cubs. Looking forward to watching them grow!
Well, power has been out for all of Prince Albert for 24 hours, following a major storm last night; SaskPower is saying that it will take at least another 24 hours to restore power.
Tornado watch for Moose Jaw; tornado watch for Regina has been lifted, but clouds are very dark , heavy winds, and +30 C.
Major weather watch for pretty much all of Saskatchewan.
Closer to home, Piper Pup is in her box and hasn’t come out since we came home. What does she know that we don’t? :eek:
Tornado watch is back on for Regina - all calm now - hope it’s not the calm before the storm. …
Good luck.
thunder starting to rumble from the west - where the tornado was seen touching down at Moose Jaw district: Canadian Storm Chaser.
Thanks.
Extremely dark here in Regina, but Stormchasers are suggesting that the tornado cell has gone up towards Regina Beach; they’re saying we’re more likely to get major thunderstorms and hail here in Regina, in 30 minutes or so.
Live streaming on http://tornadohunter.ca/live-streaming/ is showing an extremely dark, green cloud system in the Regina Beach/Lumsden area.
Oh, and for those not familiar with Regina’s history, this week is the 100th anniversary of the worst tornado in Canada’s history, the Regina Cyclone of 1912.
Completely black out now (twilight this time of the year is normally 9.30 to 10 pm); wind is getting up; some lightning flashes.
Tornadohunters had to stop their live commentary on the radio because they came on a camper truck that flipped over near the northern approach to Regina; they’re getting out to help.
They advised that the period of heavy rain and wind will be about 10 minutes - storm band is intense but thin.