Hurricane Arthur may weaken by the time it reaches Nova Scotia on Saturday, but it will still pack a punch, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to the Maritimes.
Environment Canada says Arthur is expected to reach southwestern Nova Scotia Saturday morning as a “strong post-tropical storm.”
Tropical storm warnings have also been issued across New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, as well as in some areas of southern Quebec.
At 5 p.m. ET, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said Arthur was located about 650 kilometres southwest of Yarmouth, N.S., with maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometres per hour.
Chris Fogarty, a senior research meteorologist at the Canadian Hurricane Centre, said New Brunswick will likely see some of the heaviest rainfall as Arthur moves in.
“We’re looking at up to six inches or 150 millimetres falling over maybe an eight- to 12-hour period so there’s going to be some flooding issues with that,” he told CTV News Channel Friday.
Fogarty said heavy rain will begin overnight Friday across the Maritimes. Storm surges and waves are possible along the coastlines.
He said strong winds are becoming “more of a concern” because weather fronts in Atlantic Canada could add additional energy to the storm.
Halifax emergency management co-ordinator Barry Manuel said the city is preparing for possible power outages and it is making sure all generators and gas depots are in working order.
He urged residents to fill up their gas tanks, charge their phones and get non-perishable food and water in case of a prolonged electricity outage.
“Our motto is: ‘Prepare for the worst and hope for the best,” he told CTV News Channel.
Hurricane warnings are no longer in effect in North Carolina, but the state’s coastal areas were pounded with heavy rain and storm surges Thursday and into the overnight. The storm forced evacuations along the coast and cancellations of Independence Day festivities. As of early Friday, more than 22,000 people were without power in the Carolinas.
With files from The Associated Press
