(Update) Special weather statement in effect / Tropical Cyclone Information Statements 

Hurricane Fiona is expected to bring dangerous weather conditions later this week.

Locations: All of Nova Scotia.

Time span: Thursday evening until Sunday morning.

Potential hazards include:
– Severe and damaging wind gusts
– Very high waves and coastal storm surge
– Intense rainfall rates

Remarks:
Hurricane Fiona is expected to merge with a trough and transform into a hurricane force post tropical cyclone on Saturday. The combination of Fiona and the trough will produce very heavy rain beginning Thursday night. Flooding and washed out roads are likely in some areas.

Strong to severe wind gusts are expected to begin impacting the region on Friday peaking on Saturday. Past storms of this nature have produced prolonged utility outages and structural damage. Buildings under construction will be particularly vulnerable.

Household preparations and emergency kits should be rushed to completion prior to the start of inclement weather. This would include sufficient food and water for up to 72 hours, means to charge cellular phones if lacking a landline and securing or removing outdoor furniture. Hazardous travel is likely and alternative travel plans should be sought in advance.

Environment Canada meteorologists will continue to monitor the situation seriously and will provide more details as Fiona approaches.

Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to NSstorm@ec.gc.ca or tweet reports using #NSStorm.

Tropical Cyclone Information Statement currently issued

Tropical Cyclone Information Statements

Update – Tropical Cyclone Information Statements

The next information statement will be issued by 3:00 p.m. ADT.

Hurricane Fiona expected to impact Atlantic Canada starting Friday, and continuing into the weekend.

This storm is shaping up to be a potentially severe event for Atlantic Canada. Numerous weather models are quite consistent in their prediction of what we call a deep hybrid low pressure system, possessing both tropical and intense winter storm-type properties (but with very heavy rainfall and severe winds).

Currently the range of uncertainty with regard to the centre of the low when it approaches late Friday or Saturday is approximately a 600 to 700 kilometre wide zone (“cone of uncertainty”) centered over Cape Breton with a broad coverage of hurricane-force winds including over land. This is the most likely scenario as we see it now, regardless of meteorological classification of ‘Hurricane’, or ‘Post-Tropical Storm’ Fiona at that time.

Since we expect the storm to become very large, the impacts will be multi-provincial. Specifics in terms of winds, rainfall, waves and storm surge will be described in increasing detail here beginning this afternoon.

Again, this storm certainly has the potential to be quite severe – we suggest to check forecast updates at least daily for important information regarding the trend in our analysis of what to expect.

Forecaster: Fogarty/Clements/Couturier.

Please continue to monitor alerts issued by the Canadian Hurricane Centre and forecasts issued by Environment Canada.

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