Remnants of Hurricane Oscar are sweeping through eastern Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, threatening heavy downpours and localized flooding, The Weather Network (TWN) reported Friday.
Total rainfall amounts of between 75 millimetres and 125 millimetres through Saturday morning are possible in some of the hardest-hit regions of central and eastern Newfoundland, TWN said. A general 40 mm to 60 mm is forecast across eastern Nova Scotia.
“While Oscar’s impacts won’t be as severe as the flooding rains and mudslides felt across Cuba and the Bahamas earlier this week, the moisture-packed system has prompted rainfall warnings across Newfoundland and parts of eastern Nova Scotia,” TWN said.
“Very heavy rain, a risk for localized flooding, and windy conditions are the main threats into Saturday, with sections of central and eastern Newfoundland bearing the brunt of this tropical impact.”
Scattered power outages are possible as well.
Newfoundland’s Burin, Connaigre, and Avalon Peninsula regions are forecast to see the heaviest rain through Friday, TWN reported.
For example, as of Friday morning, heavy rain continued in the Connaigre area, Environment Canada (EC) said in a weather alert. Total rainfall of 80 mm to 130 mm was expected, “with locally higher amounts possible.”
EC said similar storms in the past have caused the overflowing of creeks and rivers, flooded basements, especially in poor drainage areas; road shoulder erosion and washouts; and scattered utility outages.
Newfoundland’s Burgeo-Ramea area has a rainfall and wind warning in effect. “Strong winds that may cause damage are expected or occurring,” EC said in an alert. Maximum gusts of 80 kilometres per hour were forecast; parts of the coasts could see gusts of up to 100 km/h.
This year has seen an active hurricane season, but Canada has largely been spared the devastating effects that other jurisdictions saw. For example, Hurricanes Helene and Milton both made landfall in Florida, but Canada was given a pass.
The two hurricanes are both expected to be $50 billion disasters.
Feature image by iStock.com/Daniel Tadevosyan
