Severe thunderstorm floods Edmonton streets, closes major roads Saturday night
Nearly 30mm of rain in one hour caused flooding on Yellowhead, Whitemud, and Groat Road; Post Malone concert cancelled; power outages across 14 areas.
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A powerful thunderstorm battered Edmonton Saturday night, dumping nearly 30 millimetres of rain in the Blatchford area between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m., with wind speeds peaking at 30 km/h. The deluge closed major roads and left thousands stranded.
Groat Road northbound and parts of Whitemud Drive remained closed Sunday morning as crews cleared debris. The onramp at 178 Street and Whitemud Drive westbound was also shut down. Access to Yellowhead Trail was restored by Sunday afternoon. The city warned drivers to avoid Connors Road under the 98 Avenue Bridge; 127 Avenue under the CN bridge; and 107 Avenue under the Groat Road bridge due to ongoing flooding.
The Edmonton Police Service reported an "exceptionally high volume of 911 calls" just before 11 p.m. Saturday, impacting response times. Fallen tree branches were spotted in neighborhoods on 111 Street and 103 Avenue.
The storm forced KDays to close for the evening; guests sheltering in the Edmonton Expo Centre were later allowed to leave. Thousands attending the Post Malone concert at Commonwealth Stadium fled their seats and took cover in the concourse. The concert was cancelled.
As of 9:45 a.m. Sunday, 14 areas were experiencing power outages, with Epcor expecting to restore power late Sunday morning and into the afternoon.
The facts
How much rain fell during the Edmonton storm?
Nearly 30 millimetres of rain fell in the Blatchford area between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Saturday, July 25, 2026.
Was the Post Malone concert cancelled?
Yes. Thousands attending the Post Malone concert at Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday, July 25, 2026 fled their seats during the storm, and the concert was cancelled.
How many areas experienced power outages?
Fourteen areas were experiencing power outages as of 9:45 a.m. Sunday, July 26, 2026, with Epcor expecting to restore power late that morning and into the afternoon.
