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Powerful gusts over 100 kilometres per hour, steady rain projected to hit East Coast

HALIFAX — Powerful gusts are expected to reach speeds of more than 100 kilometres per hour on Canada's East Coast today as two large pressure systems meet over the Atlantic Ocean.
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Powerful gusts are expected to reach speeds of more than 100 kilometres per hour on Canada's East Coast as two large pressure systems meet over the Atlantic Ocean today. A pedestrian shields themselves from rain and wind during a rainfall warning in Halifax on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

HALIFAX — Powerful gusts are expected to reach speeds of more than 100 kilometres per hour on Canada's East Coast today as two large pressure systems meet over the Atlantic Ocean.

Ian Hubbard with Environment Canada says strong winds are forecast to begin in southern Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and sweep across the provinces through the day and overnight.

The storm is expected to head overnight across the Cabot Strait and into southern Newfoundland, where powerful winds are also expected.

Hubbard says the strongest gusts may reach up to 110 km/h and that between 50 to 80 millimetres of rain will fall.

The forecaster says the storm is the result of a low-pressure system meeting an abnormally high-pressure system in the Atlantic Ocean, creating a slow-moving storm with strong winds for eight to 12 hours.

The weather agency is also calling for high coastal water levels overnight, which will bring risk of flooding along the central and eastern part of the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 18, 2023.

The Canadian Press