Wind, rainfall warnings blanket Atlantic coastline
Atlantic Canadians in coastal Newfoundland, southern Labrador and the southern half of Nova Scotia are under wind and rainfall warnings as an intense low pressure system tracks towards the provinces.
Nova Scotia's Emergency Management Office has also issued safety warnings.
"This weather event is not expected to be on the scale of post-tropical storm Arthur, but in its wake with tree-root systems already weakened, we could experience a large number of trees falling on power lines causing power outages and other damage," said Mark Furey, Minister Responsible for the Emergency Management Office in a statement.
"I encourage all Nova Scotians to listen to advisories, prepare for possible power outages, check on your neighbours and those most vulnerable in your communities, and take every precaution to minimize damage."
Between 50 and 70 millimetres of rain is expected to fall starting Sunday evening across the southern half of Nova Scotia, Cape Breton Island and much of Newfoundland.
"Localized flooding in low-lying areas is possible," according to Environment Canada. "Watch for possible washouts near rivers, creeks and culverts."
"Residents can prevent flooding in and around their homes by taking the time to clear storm drains, and minimize their inconvenience due to power outages by running off water, stocking up on batteries and keeping some cash on hand," said Furey.
"We can't prevent storms from happening, but we can be prepared to minimize the impact on our families and property."
Halifax County east of Porters Lake, Guysborough County and Cape Breton are also under wind warnings and are expected to receive strong southerly winds with gusts up to 90 km/h that are expected to diminish around 12 p.m. AT Monday.
"Damage to buildings, such as to roof shingles and windows, may occur. Loose objects may be tossed by the wind and cause injury or damage. Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions due to high winds. Avoid wooded areas to prevent injury from falling trees or branches. Campers should move to sturdy shelters," Environment Canada said.
The coastal parts of Newfoundland are expected to be hit with high winds developing this evening out of the south.
Powerful wind gusts for much of the island are expected to reach as high as 120 km/h Sunday and increase to up to 140 km/h Monday morning. The southerly winds are expected to shift to more southwesterly winds Monday afternoon, tapering off.
Wind warnings are issued when there is a significant risk of damaging winds, the weather service said.
A special weather statement has been issued for parts of central and eastern Labrador as well, where 30 to 40 millimetres of precipitation is expected throughout the day Monday.
Winds stirring up trouble in Cape Breton, N.S.
There was a close call Sunday afternoon for some participating in a charity boat race. A couple of rowboats near Cape Breton’s Northern Yacht Club washed ashore onto a nearby beach, overpowered by the gusting winds and pounding waves.
The rescue boat from the Sydney Mines fire department went to help the stranded sailors, only to lose control in the waves and go aground with the rowboats.
A nearby fishing boat was able to tow all the vessels safely back to deeper water and then back to the dock.
No one was injured.
By the late afternoon on Sunday, the high winds had also knocked out power to more than 1,250 NB Power customers in New Brunswick.
Meghan Gerrish, spokesperson for the utility said the outages were due to high winds slapping tree limbs into the lines.
