Edmonton’s Whitemud Drive was fully closed between 156 Street and 178 Street late Saturday after a severe thunderstorm triggered widespread flooding, trapping vehicles and forcing emergency crews to respond to multiple distress calls.
For context: Whitemud Drive is a major east-west freeway that carries tens of thousands of vehicles daily. Its underpasses are known low points prone to flooding during heavy rain, though Saturday’s storm was unusually intense.
Flooding traps vehicles, prompts emergency rescues
The 170 Street underpass became impassable, with water rising to nearly two feet in spots. Firefighters rescued several people stranded on the embankment between the northbound and southbound overpass bridges. Three vehicles were stuck at the eastbound off-ramp, where a dip in the road collected deep water.
Police reported “geysers of water” shooting from manholes along the freeway, while side ramps and adjacent roads also became flooded. By 10:30 p.m., the entire stretch of Whitemud Drive between 156 Street and 178 Street was shut down, with drivers forced to turn around or seek alternate routes.
Storm disrupts transit, events, and emergency services
The storm’s impact extended beyond roadways. Edmonton Transit Service reported city-wide delays, while flooding closed Groat Road northbound from River Valley Road to 107 Avenue, turning the ravine road into a river. Connors Road under the 98 Avenue bridge was also flooded by 1 a.m. Sunday.
At KDays, attendees took shelter inside the Expo Centre as the storm moved through. The Post Malone concert at Commonwealth Stadium ended early after fierce winds and heavy rain pelted the venue. Police asked the public to avoid the area around the stadium and Expo Centre to allow safe evacuations.
Edmonton Police Service (EPS) reported an “exceptionally high volume” of 911 calls, which may have delayed response times. Non-emergency matters were directed to EPS’s non-emergency line (780-423-4567 or #377 within the city) to keep 911 lines open for urgent situations.
Environment Canada issues severe weather warnings
The storm was part of a larger system Environment Canada tracked Saturday night, stretching from Barrhead to Leduc. Meteorologists warned of damaging wind gusts, hail up to ping pong ball size, and heavy rain. A tornado warning was issued earlier in the evening near Peers and Niton Junction in Yellowhead County.
As of late Saturday, no further updates on road reopenings or storm damage assessments had been released. Residents are advised to monitor local alerts and avoid non-essential travel until conditions improve.
