Beginning this Friday, Quebec will feel the remnants of Tropical Storm Nicole, which severely hit Florida the day before. Meteorologists are forecasting a moderate storm with strong winds and more than 50mm of rain for several parts of the province.
Updated yesterday at 21:02.
Delphine Belzile The press
Storm Nicole, sweeping along the east coast of the United States, is expected to make landfall in Canada on Friday. However, the Category 1 hurricane will take the form of an “autumn storm” over Quebec, notes Serge Mainville, meteorologist at Environment Canada.
The federal authority is forecasting heavy rainfall and strong winds of up to 90 km/h in the St. Lawrence estuary. Rainfall could even reach 100mm in the Maritimes over the weekend.
MétéoMédia has issued a weather warning as experts are forecasting 40 to 60mm of rain for Friday evening in several regions of the province, particularly in the greater Montreal area. 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, leading in particular to the closure of some flooded subway stations.
“We will be on high alert and closely monitoring the situation. No impact on the metro network is expected at this time,” said Philippe Déry, spokesman for the Société de transport de Montréal. “We have pumps and equipment for quick drying,” he adds.
Regions such as 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 40cm of snow in Matagami on Friday. Snow is also forecast around the Sept-Îles and a mix of precipitation on the north coast. Ice and sleet are expected on the Gaspé Peninsula on Saturday.
“We could have beautiful winter scenery in several places in eastern Quebec on Sunday morning,” notes Serge Mainville.
After Florida the Maritimes
Just weeks after Hurricane Ian, Storm Nicole swept several Florida homes into the sea on Thursday.
Nicole should merge with a cold front as she makes her way through Carolina and Georgia and will merge again this Friday with the weather system stretching from the Great Lakes to Abitibi, explains Serge Mainville. “Units above and above will combine and it will become a big two-headed system. »
The remnants of Storm Nicole will then advance towards Maritimes on Saturday, leaving the western system behind, the specialist continues. “The Maritimes will be more affected by the tropical aspect of the system, but it’s a really, really benign system compared to Fiona,” he said.
Up to 50mm of rain could fall in the Maritimes on Saturday night, with gusts of up to 80mph, Environment Canada estimates.
With The Canadian Press and The Associated Press