Weather warnings have been issued for all of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, as a massive storm is expected to bring heavy rain and damaging winds mid-Friday into Saturday morning — Christmas Eve.
Special weather statements are also in effect for parts of the Bay of Chaleur and south-facing shorelines of the Atlantic coast for possible storm surge.
It’s prompting utility companies and authorities to advise people to re-think holiday travel plans and expect power outages.
According to Environment Canada, precipitation will begin late Friday morning as rain over southern New Brunswick and as snow and ice pellets over central and northern areas.
“A band of freezing rain may set up for several hours along the St. John River valley near noon Friday before transitioning to rain by the afternoon. Rain will taper off early Saturday morning,” the forecaster said.
Significant snowmelt and runoff are likely, coupled with heavy downpours that can cause floods and pooling water on roads. Meanwhile, maximum southeasterly gusts of 90 km/h are expected, up to 110 km/h along parts of the coast in the northeast.
“High winds may result in power outages and fallen tree branches. Motorists, especially in high profile vehicles, may expect hazardous driving conditions on highways subject to strong cross winds,” the warning states.
Over in Nova Scotia, it’s a similar story.
Environment Canada said 20 to 40 mm of rain is expected — beginning in western areas of the province Friday morning and reaching Cape Breton by evening. Localized flooding will be possible.
“Isolated thundershowers may give higher rainfall totals as well,” the warning noted.
Maximum wind gusts could reach 90 km/h. The strong winds will end from west to east across the mainland Friday night and by Saturday morning in Cape Breton.
Nova Scotia Power said Thursday they have crews positioned across the province in preparation for the storm. The company’s Emergency Operations Centre, which will be used to co-ordinate efforts, will be open on Friday morning.
“While there’s never a good time for a power outage, we know it’s especially tough to lose power over the holidays. Please know we will do everything we can to try to ensure the least amount of disruption to your holiday plans,” Nova Scotia wrote on Twitter.
The same system is also wreaking havoc in Quebec, Ontario and the northeastern United States. Environment Canada has described the storm headed for southern Ontario as a “crippling blizzard,”
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