As of this Friday, Quebec will feel the remnants of the tropical storm Nicole, which hit Florida hard the day before. Meteorologists are forecasting a moderate storm with strong winds and more than 50 mm of rain in several parts of the province.
Updated yesterday at 9:02 p.m.
Storm Nicole, which runs along the east coast of the United States, is expected to reach Canadian soil on Friday. The category 1 hurricane will however take the form of an “autumn storm” over Quebec, notes Serge Mainville, meteorologist at Environment Canada.
The federal agency is forecasting heavy rains and strong winds of up to 90 km/h in the St. Lawrence estuary. The amount of rain could even reach 100 mm in the Maritimes over the weekend.
MétéoMédia has issued a weather alert, as experts predict 40 to 60 mm of rain in several regions of the province on Friday evening, particularly in Greater Montreal. Significant amounts of rain are also expected in southern, central and eastern Quebec.
Last September, the torrential rain that fell on the metropolis caused significant damage which notably led to the closure of certain flooded metro stations.
“We will be on high alert and we will monitor the situation closely. At present, there are no impacts that are anticipated on the metro network, ”reacted Philippe Déry, spokesperson for the Société de transport de Montréal. “We have pumps and we have devices for rapid drying,” he adds.
Regions such as the Outaouais, Témiscamingue, Baie-James and Basse-Côte-Nord should be spared.
Abitibi has been put on alert for freezing rain, and MétéoMédia predicts up to 40 cm of snow Friday in Matagami. Snow is also forecast around Sept-Îles, and a mix of precipitation on the North Shore. In the Gaspé Peninsula, ice and sleet are expected on Saturday.
“We could have a beautiful winter setting on Sunday morning in several places in eastern Quebec,” notes Serge Mainville.
After Florida, the Maritimes
Just a few weeks after the hurricane hit Ianstorm Nicole swept several homes into the ocean in Florida on Thursday.
Nicole should merge with a cold front as it passes through Carolina and Georgia, and mix again this Friday with the weather system that stretches from the Great Lakes to Abitibi, explains Serge Mainville. “Entities above and above will combine and it will become one big two-headed system. »
The remnants of the storm Nicole will then progress towards the Maritimes on Saturday and allow the western system to follow behind, continues the specialist. “The Maritimes are going to be more affected by the tropical aspect of the system, but if we compare with Fionait’s a really very gentle system,” he explains.
It could fall up to 50 mm of rain Saturday evening in the Maritimes with gusts blowing up to 80 km / h, estimates Environment Canada.
With The Canadian Press and The Associated Press