Heavy rain, localized flood risk persists across Atlantic Canada
Localized flooding remains possible in Atlantic Canada as heavy rain continues this weekend. More heavy rain is possible later in the week
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The rain keeps falling across Atlantic Canada as a moisture-laden system moseys across the region. Some areas could see an additional 50+ mm of rain through Monday morning, and thunderstorms could lead to a risk for localized flooding.
It’s been an exceptionally rainy summer for much of the Maritimes, with Halifax close to measuring double their average rainfall for the season as persistent washes of tropical moisture surge across the region.
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This Weekend
Areas: Atlantic Canada
Timing: Through Sunday evening
Weather: A rainy weekend across Atlantic Canada will roll into Sunday as a slow-moving disturbance moseys through the region.
As of Saturday evening, we’ve seen more than 60 mm of rain in spots across western Nova Scotia, near Bridgewater, with about 20 mm reported downtown Halifax. Heavy rainfall streamed off the Bay of Fundy, targeting Parrsboro with over 50 mm of rain. 15-30 mm of rainfall was also recorded across P.E.I.
Rainfall warnings remain in effect for much of Nova Scotia and eastern portions of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, including the cities of Halifax, Moncton, and Charlottetown.
An additional 15-30 mm of rainfall is on the way for eastern Nova Scotia into Sunday. The bulk of the heavy rain is still expected across southwestern Newfoundland, where up to 70 mm is still forecast for Burgeo.
Heavier rainfall rates are possible beneath any thunderstorms that track across the region, which could lead to a localized flood threat, especially for areas where soils are more than saturated from recent heavy rain events.
A cold front will push the rain out of the Maritime provinces and into Newfoundland by Sunday morning. The Stephenville-Port Aux Basque region will receive the heaviest rainfall accumulation into Sunday morning, with widespread rain continuing throughout the day Sunday for the western portion of Newfoundland.
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Hurricane Franklin could influence more rain later this week
Hurricane Franklin will steadily intensify into a major hurricane this week as it passes west of Bermuda, likely staying south of the Atlantic provinces as it curves out to sea on Thursday and Friday.
MUST SEE: Hurricane Franklin likely to miss East Coast, but may fuel heavy rain
However, the storm’s tropical moisture will likely interact with a trough moving over the East Coast at the same time, potentially leading to heavy rainfall across many of the same areas that have been repeatedly drenched this summer. We’ll have to keep a close eye on the risk for additional localized flooding as we head through the week.
Prepare
Make sure to keep up-to-date on your local forecast information and alerts. If you are outdoors in an area with a severe weather threat, make sure you have a safety plan in place in case you need to get to shelter.
Use extreme caution in areas that may experience localized flooding during and after heavy rains. Never try to drive across a flooded roadway. It’s impossible to tell how deep the water is until it’s too late, and the road may have been washed out beneath the water. It only takes a small amount of water for a vehicle to lose traction and begin floating, endangering both the lives of the occupants and their rescuers.
Be sure to check back for the latest on conditions across Atlantic Canada.