After weeks of heavy snow, Atlantic Canada is getting warmer and wetter. And while the higher temperatures may be a welcome change, rainfall combined with melting snow puts the region at risk of flooding.
Environment Canada has issued weather alerts for parts of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, warning of rainfall.
For the Halifax region, the weather agency is forecasting heavy rain beginning Thursday night, and continuing Friday. Total rainfall accumulation is expected to reach between 20 to 40 mm.
"In addition to the rainfall, a significant amount of snowmelt is likely to contribute to local flooding," the agency warned.
A special weather statement is in effect for St. John's, warning of significant rain, snow and freezing rain starting Saturday.
Nova Scotia's Minister of Municipal Affairs Mark Furey said that the province and the province's municipalities have been getting ready for a big melt.
"Preparation has been ongoing over the past few weeks," he told CTV's Canada AM.
The province has been asking residents to prepare their properties ahead of the rain.
Homeowners should take steps to clear their roofs of snow and keep their eaves troughs clear, he said. They can also clear the common street drains to ensure the water has somewhere to go once it starts raining.
He also said the province is asking motorists to exercise caution on the roads, where large pools of water may form.
"This presents a real danger, and we've encouraged motorist to avoid those circumstances, and really use good judgment and practices when operating vehicles with the anticipated water that will be laying around," he said.
Meanwhile in Saint John, N.B., officials are warning residents to keep off the rivers as the ice begins to melt.
Cross country skiers and ice fishers were still enjoying the Kennebecasis River on Wednesday, but officials warn that ice conditions can change rapidly.
"The heavy snow on it is an insulator," Mark Wilson, of the Saint John Fire Department, told CTV Atlantic. "So this ice may not be as thick as you think it is in a lot of places."
Inland residents have been trying to find storm drains that have been buried under mountains of ice and snow.
John Kindred lives in a low-lying area of west Saint John. On Wednesday, he used ice picks and shovels to break the ice covering a storm drain on his street.
"There's lots of rain so (I'm) getting the drains open so this area doesn't flood," he said.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Mike Cameron
