Storm expected to drop 30-50 millimetres of rain on Metro this weekend

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Charles Perry
Weather

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Southeastern New Brunswick is bracing for the remnants of Hurricane Hanna, which is expected to hit the area this weekend in the form of heavy winds and torrential rainfall.

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The Associated Press

Markey Johnson from Carrboro, N.C., stands on the Fifth Street beach access stairway during high tide as waves powered by a far off Tropical Storm Hanna pound the rocks in St. Simons Island, Ga. The tropical storm, expected to regain hurricane status as it moves north, is forecast to bring heavy rains to the Maritimes over the weekend.

At least, 50 to 70 millimetres (two to three inches) of rain is forecast for Metro Moncton on Sunday, creating a risk of hydroplaning and flooding conditions, said Environment Canada meteorologist Claude Côté.

Nova Scotia is also expected to be drenched in 50 millimetres (two inches) of rain, fanned by heavy winds, with gusts of more than 100 kilometres (61 miles) an hour, said the Environment Canada spokesman.

Southern New Brunswick, including the Saint John, Sussex and St. Stephen areas, is forecast to receive the same levels of heavy rain as the southeast, said Côté. Fredericton will get lesser amounts, while the northern half of the province should only receive 10 to 20 millimetres (0.4 to 0.8 inches).

Bob Smerbeck of State College, Pa., said Tropical Storm Hanna was located just south of the Bahamas yesterday. Noting it is starting to pick up strength and speed, he said it should be back to hurricane status by today.

When it starts moving into the Bay of Fundy late Saturday night and Sunday morning, Smerbeck said it would be either as the remnants of a hurricane or may very well still be a tropical storm.

Since southeastern New Brunswick will be on the northern edge of the hurricane's winds, he said it will get a heavy dose of rain, fanned by winds of about 65 kilometres (40 miles) an hour, said the AccuWeather spokesman, Nova Scotia, being on the southern edge, however, will receive gale-force winds of at least 100 kilometres (61 miles) an hour up to 120 kilometres (75 miles), he said.

Côté said the downpour of rain and strong winds from Hanna present a real danger of flooding, hydroplaning and poor visibility. The Canadian Hurricane Centre has been carefully monitoring Hanna's progress.

The hurricane centre reported yesterday that it was too early to issue details but it appeared that Hanna could bring wind and rain to the Maritimes on Sunday and possibly into Monday.

Smerbeck said the fact that the rain being dumped on southeastern and southern New Brunswick could be compressed within only a six-hour period on Sunday indicates the intensity of the storm. That is a lot of rain to be coming down within such a short time.

Indications are that Hanna, however, will be moving out of the Maritimes Saturday night and making its way east across Newfoundland, said the AccuWeather spokesman.

Meanwhile, like the calm before the storm, Côté said Metro Moncton will enjoy a second consecutive mild and sunny day, today.

Just like yesterday, in which temperatures climbed to an unseasonably high 25C (77F), he said Metro residents can expect another warm, clear day today, with the thermometer once again expected to reach 24C or 25C (75F or 77F).

However, tomorrow offers a 60 per cent chance of showers during the day leading up to the arrival of the remnants of Hanna in the late evening, said Côté.

n Charles Perry's weather column appears daily.