After going through devastating wildfires, torrential rain, and flooding earlier this summer, residents and city officials in Nova Scotia’s capital are bracing for the arrival of Hurricane Lee.
While emergency officials say the storm will likely have the most intense impacts on the southwestern part of the province, Lee’s large size means Halifax will experience heavy rain, wind, and storm surge, and the area remains under a hurricane watch and a tropical storm warning as of Friday afternoon.
CTV chief meteorologist Kalin Mitchell expects the strongest winds in the Halifax area (between 80-100 km/hr) will occur Saturday afternoon into the evening.
The director of Halifax’s Emergency Management Division says staff have been preparing for the impending weather since last week.
“Our biggest fear, and part of that preparation, is because the ground is so saturated right now, that the root systems and the ecosystems are weak already from (previous) flooding,” says Erica Fleck.
“Trees will come down more easily than they normally would,” she explains.
Fleck also says trees in areas affected by the wildfire in late May and early June are also vulnerable to the storm.
“We did see some mudslides in that area (during rain), that’s very traditional after a fire because everything is so weakened,” she says.
The city did send out a message through HfxAlert Thursday, warning of storm surge. The message reminds residents to avoid coastal areas and “be prepared to move inland or to higher ground in case of flooding.”
“The storm surge is one of our biggest concerns right now,” says Fleck.
Meanwhile, Halifax Water is urging residents to make sure storm drains, catch basins, and culverts are clear, as long as it’s safe to do so. It asks residents who experience flooding to call its 24/7 Emergency Line at 902-420-9287.
The Port of Halifax has been working with its terminal operator and tenants at the seaport tethering down equipment and clearing berths as much as possible.
Lane Farguson of Halifax Port Authority also says there have been five cruise call cancellations.
At the Halifax Stanfield International Airport, spokesperson Tiffany Chase says there are some cancellations on the flight board for Saturday morning, and recommends travelers check their flight status before going to the airport.
Fleck says when it comes to Halifax Transit, she says there’s no disruption to bus service anticipated for Friday night into Saturday morning, but she advises transit users that could change with the weather.
“For the ferry, (with waves in the harbour), if it’s not both for staff and residents we will pause that and reopen as soon as it’s safe to do so,” she adds.
CTVNewsAtlantic.ca will provide coverage and live updates on Hurricane Lee, every hour on the hour, beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday.
