Environment Canada issued special weather statements across Nova Scotia and New Brunswick Thursday as tropical storm Philippe is set to bring wind and rain to the region over the weekend.
“A trough of low pressure is expected to interact with approaching Tropical Storm Philippe and will combine to give heavy rain and strong winds to the region this weekend,” the statement said.
Heavy rain and strong winds are expected across the Maritimes this weekend, with possibly 50 millimetres or more in the areas of heaviest rain, and maximum wind gusts of up to 70 to 80 km/h.
The system will begin Saturday afternoon over western areas and later in the evening in the east. Conditions are then expected to improve from west to east Sunday morning through Sunday afternoon.
In a statement Thursday afternoon, the Canadian Hurricane Centre said Philippe is expected to track northward toward Bermuda, then toward the Gulf of Maine Saturday night as a post-tropical storm.
“The windy side of the storm is expected to spread over Nova Scotia with the higher winds expected over the western part of the province,” it said.
“Elevated water levels and rough surf can be expected along parts of the Atlantic Coast of Nova Scotia coast impacted by Hurricane Lee but impacts from Philippe are looking like they will be much less.”
It said Philippe is a “weak tropical storm,” but is expected to intensify as it moves northward.
“Some computer models indicated that there is a possibility (10% chance) it could strengthen to hurricane status so the CHC will monitor that aspect and provide updates,” it said.
The statement also said it’s too early to know how impactful the winds will be, though it noted much of the heavy rainfall will fall over Maine.
“Philippe will also be merging with a broad area of low pressure so inclement weather is expected over a much larger area than western Nova Scotia, therefore separate weather statements are or soon will be in effect for many areas including Quebec,” it said.