With heavy rain expected for much of the long weekend, Tom Penney of Sydney, N.S., is watching the forecast with a wary eye - especially given what he went through nearly a decade ago. “Literally, the water came up to the first floor - basement to first floor - and it literally destroyed the house,” Penney said of the Thanksgiving Day storm in 2016 that flooded his south end home beyond repair. Penney was among a number of people who lost their homes in that devastating storm, the 10th anniversary of which is a little more than a month away. He lives on higher ground now but is still a bit on edge any time large amounts of rain are forecast. “I’m worried,” he said of this weekend’s rain. “And also, in Toronto for example, they just had major floods and that storm seems to be going to come visit us.” CTV Atlantic meteorologist Kalin Mitchell expects that same system to bring a widespread 60 to 100 mm of rain for Cape Breton by early Sunday morning, with some areas possibly seeing more than that if multiple downpours move through. In Victoria County, emergency management co-ordinator Lyle Donovan is telling people to prepare for rain – along with high winds on Saturday. “Secure your loose items and just be well aware,” Donovan said. “Your rain gutters should be clear.” In communities along the Cabot Trail, Donovan said the weekend’s weather could come with risks of hydroplaning and the potential for washed out roads. “We expect some flash flooding in certain areas, some shoulders - no doubt - shoulders of the road will suffer some damage but we’re optimistic that we’re ready,” Donovan said. On mainland Nova Scotia, some residents are also on edge. “Just before it rains, it’s like ‘Oh my God, there’s all these things we have to do,’ it puts you in high gear,” said Josh Oulton, a farmer in Port Williams, N.S. Oulton said he and other farmers in the Annapolis Valley agree that while on one hand they could use some rain, preparation for the storm and potential crop damage is always a concern. He said that is especially for apples that are mere weeks away from getting picked. “If the ground gets saturated with water, they could tumble over,” Oulton said. “Or, we still have peaches out there - if we get too much rain they could split.” Back in the south end of Sydney, Penney still owns the land where his house used to be. Flood mitigation has been done in the area in the years since the big storm and he said enough has changed since then that someone might once again be able to live there. “If not me at my venerable age, perhaps my nephew or somebody might like to build a home there,” Penney said. For now, steadier rain is expected to arrive in Cape Breton by noon on Friday with the heaviest rainfall that evening and night into early Saturday morning. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
