'Hazardous conditions' coming to Toronto thanks to major rainfall this weekend

A particularly wet weekend in Toronto will mean "higher than normal water levels and flows in our rivers and streams" leading to "hazardous conditions," according to a statement from Toronto and Region Conservation.

Environment Canada is predicting rain through the weekend and into Monday, with rainfall peaking on Saturday.

Rehana Rajabali, senior engineer for flood risk and communications at the conservation authority, told CBC Toronto that the combination of rain and soggy soil makes the banks of bodies of water dangerous.

"The banks are going to be slippery because of the rain, and of course, the river levels themselves will be higher than usual," she said, adding that "people sometimes don't realize" that river conditions have changed.

Rajabali advises keeping a close eye on children and pets if you do find yourself in areas near a body of water.

She also issued a warning about driving through ponded water.

"You don't know how deep it is, and you don't know what's inside it. It's better to find an alternative route," she said.

Flooding, however, is not likely.

"As long as the rain falls slow and steady as we're expecting, we don't anticipate flooding," said Rajabali.