Rainfall warnings issued with fall storm expected in the Maritimes Saturday

More weather alerts are in effect for the Maritimes ahead of heavy rain and high wind expected for parts of the region Saturday.

Rainfall warnings and special weather statements issued for the Maritimes as of noon Friday.

A rainfall warning had been issued by Environment Canada for the South Shore of Nova Scotia. The warning calls for “50 to 80 mm, with locally higher amounts possible.” The weather agency is also cautioning “heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads. Localized flooding in low-lying areas is possible.”

Rain and downpours present across a large part of the Maritimes Saturday afternoon, evening, and night. Some wet snow is expected in northern areas of New Brunswick.

A special weather statement extends across the remainder of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and the Magdalen Islands. The statement is calling for potential rain totals of 50 to 80+ mm for Nova Scotia and 40 to 60+ mm for Prince Edward Island and the Magdalen Islands. That is a similar amount of rain expected in the areas under the rainfall warning. I spoke to an Environment Canada official and they explained that the heaver rain is expected to reach the South Shore of Nova Scotia first on Saturday, which is why that area is currently under the warning. They mentioned that further areas under the special weather statement are likely to be placed into the rainfall warning later on Friday.

Rain, including downpours, is expected to bring totals of 50-100 mm for parts of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and southern New Brunswick.

The statement also includes information on winds. For Nova Scotia, southerly gusts of 70 to 90 km/h are possible for eastern parts of the province Saturday evening and night. Northern Inverness County in Cape Breton will experience peak gusts of 120 km/h Saturday night due to the topography of the Highlands. Gusts of 60 to 80 km/h are mentioned for P.E.I. Saturday night. There will be southerly gusts near 90 km/h for the Magdalen Islands Saturday night.

Some of the stronger southerly winds are expected to blow across eastern areas of Nova Scotia Saturday night.

While there were no weather alerts in effect for New Brunswick as of noon Friday, parts of the province could still experience downpours within the rain. The greatest risk of those downpours is along the Bay of Fundy coastline and into Moncton and the southeast. Some wet snow is expected to mix with rain in northern areas of New Brunswick. Accumulation in the snow looks to be generally less than 5 cm with the exception of some of the more mountainous terrain, which could pick up 5 to 10 cm in the higher elevations.

If you are in an area expecting heavier rain, check to make sure property drainage and gutters are free from seasonal debris. If you use a sump pump in heavy rain events, make sure it is in working order. Be cautious travelling on roads in heavy rain, as visibility will be reduced and hydroplaning conditions present.

A number of outdoor events have been cancelled or postponed in the region Saturday. If you were participating or attending an outdoor event it would be best to check on its current status.

I’ll have live timelines of the rain and wind, weather alert updates, and the extended forecast on CTV News Atlantic 5, 6, and 11:30 p.m.