Philippe will be no Lee, but accumulating weather damage makes Nova Scotia vulnerable

Post-tropical storm Philippe is not expected to hit the Maritimes with the same raging winds and storm surge wrought by post-tropical cyclone Lee last month, but a Halifax-area councillor says her region is still vulnerable.

Pam Lovelace, the municipal representative for a coastal area that includes the famous Peggy’s Cove lighthouse, says her region is still recovering from post-tropical storm Fiona last year, as well as floods and devastating forest fires earlier this year.

Lovelace said in an interview that road shoulders are still damaged, and the trees burnt black in the raging forest fires this spring are more likely to topple in moderately strong winds, thus knocking out power lines and leaving residents in the dark.

She says people in her district are weary after all these weather disasters, and they’re bracing for power outages through Thanksgiving weekend.

Environment Canada has issued tropical cyclone statements for Nova Scotia’s southwest coast, warning of rainfall totals up to 60 milimetres and maximum sustained winds of up to 90 kilometres an hour in some areas.

Chris Fogarty with the Canadian Hurricane Centre says while the winds aren’t entirely unusual for an autumn storm, residents would be wise to prepare for power outages as the gusts could tear down tree branches and send them falling into power lines.

Fogarty says this year’s hurricane season has already seen more named storms than a normal year, and it’s only about halfway over.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 7, 2023.