Heavy rain hampers traffic on several highways in central and northern Alberta

According to Cory Edel's forecast, Edmonton's rain will finally break later Tuesday.

A 10-kilometre stretch of a gravel highway just west of Edmonton is one of several roads in central and northern Alberta either closed or partly closed due to soggy conditions.

Parkland RCMP said Tuesday morning that Highway 628 between Golden Spike Road just south of Spruce Grove and Highway 60 at Enoch is closed in both directions. Only local traffic is permitted.

A photo police posted to social media displays the waterlogged condition of the road.

The weather forecast for the Edmonton area calls for showers Tuesday, up to five millimetres, and a 30-per-cent chance of showers in the evening, after the last two days saw heavy rain fall on the region and much of the province.

Pooling water from the rain in northern and central Alberta since Sunday has also led to road closures or warnings, according to 511 Alberta, the province’s online travel information service:

• on Highway 93A south of the Jasper townsite, where a washout north of Marmot Road has closed one lane to traffic;
• east of Elk Point on Highway 646 near Range Road 61, where pooling water is slowing traffic in both directions. Elk Point is 175 kilometres northeast of Edmonton;
• in both directions near Donnelly, where water is pooling on Range Road 210, which leads into the village about 65 kilometres south of Peace River. It is closed because of a culvert failure. Donnelly is 330 kilometres northwest of Edmonton;
• west of Prairie Echo, where water is pooling on Highway 679 close to Highway 749. The west-bound lane is closed as a result. Prairie Echo is about 20 kilometres west of Lesser Slave Lake and 290 kilometres northwest of Edmonton; and
• near Manning, where water is pooling on Highway 691 near Range Road 221, affecting traffic in both directions. There, a culvert has failed due to high spring runoff. Rig matting with gravel ramps has been installed over the failure. Manning is 450 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.