A powerful hurricane that has already caused widespread damage in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico is expected to intensify over the next few days as it moves northward towards Canada’s east coast.
The Canadian Hurricane Centre said it is monitoring Hurricane Fiona. Its track shows Fiona could affect Nova Scotia, P.E.I. and Newfoundland by this weekend.
According to the tracker, it’s expected to turn north overnight on Saturday, and weaken to a tropical storm as it passes through Atlantic Canada.
On Sunday, the hurricane struck Puerto Rico’s southwest coast — unleashing landslides, knocking out power, and ripping up asphalt from roads.
Forecasters said the storm would cause massive flooding and threatened to dump “historic” levels of rain, with up to 76 centimeters possible in some areas.
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A state of emergency was declared in the U.S. territory as the eye of the storm approached the island.
According to the National Hurricane Centre, Fiona was moving toward the north-northwest near 17 kilometres per hour.
It’s forecasted the center of Fiona will pass near Grand Turk and the other eastern Turks and Caicos during the day.
Maximum sustained winds are near 185 kilometres per hour with higher gusts.
“Fiona is a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale,” said the NHC.
— with files from The Associated Press
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