Takeaway Keys:
- Heavy rainstorms are expected in the southern area of Newfoundland.
- It might not be as devastating as British Colombia.
- People are advised to stay home with all the necessary supplies.
Heavy rain is approaching southwest Newfoundland and meteorologists predict it will be an “unprecedented” weather event.
Veronica Sullivan of Environment Canada’s weather office in Gander said This is the first time She is seeing such heavy rain. It can be compared with the British Colombia storm a few weeks ago, Atmospheric rivers were spewing a lot of moisture into the air.
Though it won’t be so terrific as British Colombia, however, it could break many weather records, She said.
On Tuesday, 150 to 200 millimeters of rain could be expected in the Port aux Basques area, with more than 300 millimeters expected in the high undulations, she said.
Sullivan said that some meteorological models suggest that total precipitation could reach 400 millimeters at high elevations, and actual precipitation could be much less, but water could run down from mountainous areas and significantly affect water levels below.
“It will be something to see. Torrential rain, very strong wind. She told CBC Radio’s St. John’s morning show. “[It’s] very likely that there will be localized washout and flooding.”
Nearly 30 mm of rain fell on the area at 5:30 p.m. NT, but the total rainfall is expected to increase overnight and throughout Wednesday.
In a press release, the province said its Emergency Operations Center has been activated to provide assistance when needed. In addition, the Department of Transportation teams works around the clock to clear drains and remove debris that can affect movement and water flow.
According to Public Safety Minister John Hogan, three helicopters are also stationed in the area that will be used if community roads are washed away. He said there had been no reports of infrastructure damage or flooding, but noted that water levels were rising in the nearby Isle aux Morts area.
The province has encouraged people to stay at home and ensure that they have emergency supplies on hand. Winds in the Wreckhouse area are expected to reach 150 km/h throughout Tuesday and 160 km/h during the night. Winds will ease overnight, but pick up on Wednesday morning.
But strong winds will be the same as other areas to Wreckhouse, said Sullivan. She said the entire west coast of the island would see gusty winds.
Read More: ‘Unprecedented’ storm moves over southwestern Newfoundland | CBC News
