Record breaking rain drenches Hamilton

A record breaking rainfall is forcing Hamilton to soldier through a soggy Sunday.

Overnight rainfall amounts of 40 mm shattered the previous record of 20.6 mm set back in 1976, according to Environment Canada Meteorologist Haizhen Sun.

Police and fire crews have been plenty busy dealing with the water. Police have had to deal with 10 flooding incidents since 6:20 a.m., the majority of which in the city'seast end.

"We've had a number of country road areas with excessive water and cars in ditches," said Staff Sgt. Robert Gauvin, adding that no one had been injured.

Fire official Claudio Mostacci told CBC Hamilton that fire crews had to deal with "quite a few" flooding incidents Sunday morning.

Two cars stalled in deep waterone on Fruitland Road by the QEW, and another on Killbride Road on the Mountain, Mostacci said.

Many people have had to deal with water seeping into their homes, as well.

Phil Arbeau, who lives on Aberfoyle Avenue in the east end, came downstairs Sunday morning to a couple of inches of water covering half of his basement.

"It was a 'face-palm' and deep sigh moment, considering we had the basement redone after the last time this happened," Arbeau said. "It seems like this happens all the time since the expressway went in."

Mary Flynn lives on Herkimer Street near Locke Street, and she was "really shocked" to find water dripping into her basement as well. "One of the stairs and the landing is just soaked," she said.

Though Saturday's temperature high of 13.3 C beat the previous record of 12.1 C measured at the Hamilton airport, it seems unlikely that Sunday will be record breaking as well.

At 11 a.m. Sunday, the temperature was recorded as 14.4 C at the Hamilton airport, Sun says, and it most likely won't rise to beat the previous record of 16.7 C from back in 2005.

"We expect the temperature to drop this afternoon when the winds shift to the north," Sun said.