Maritimes must remain on the lookout for severe weather

The Maritimes have been relatively unscathed so far this year by tropical storms, but a meteorologist says the region must remain on the lookout for severe weather for a few more months.

There have only been three named storms since this season began in May and only one of those has had any affect the Atlantic region, with some heavy rain showers in Newfoundland and Labrador a few weeks ago.

But Bob Robichaud, a meteorologist at the Canadian Hurricane Centre in Dartmouth, said the centre still expects 2015 to be an average year for storms and that means the region could still see severe weather late this summer or early fall.

"We usually see one or two [storms], having some sort of an impact on land, and we see another one or two actually tracking through our marine territory, it may not have an effect on land," Robichaud said.

"So it's pretty rare that we can get through a season without dealing with at least one of these systems."

Hurricane season runs from the end of May until the end of November and peaks around Sept. 10.

But Robichaud said hurricanes can happen at any time of the year, so people should always be prepared.

The 2014 hurricane season produced eight named storms, four of which made it into the Canadian response zone off shorelines in Atlantic Canada.

Last July, post-tropical storm Arthur battered the Maritimes, knocking out power to more than 290,000 homes and businesses on July 5. On that day, NB Power had 140,000 customers without power.

The storm downed thousands of trees in New Brunswick, as well as power lines. It also caused damage to homes, vehicles and other property.