Hurricane Fiona remains on track for Atlantic Canada
CBC
The forecast track of Hurricane Fiona is little changed Wednesday morning, and Prince Edward Islanders are being cautioned to prepare for a major storm.
While it has not changed much, the forecast has moved the likely path of the hurricane a little closer to the Island, and it is also projected to be stronger.
"It does now look like it's going to make landfall somewhere in Cape Breton by early Saturday morning," CBC meteorologist Tina Simpkin said on Island Morning Wednesday morning.
"Some of the latest models have it as a Category 3 hurricane brushing over Sable Island."
Environment Canada issued a special weather statement early Wednesday morning.
The federal agency says the combination of Fiona with another weather system will create heavy rains starting Thursday night, and that flooding and washing out of roads is likely.
Strong to severe winds will begin Friday night and peak on Saturday.
P.E.I.'s Emergency Measures Organization is activating to Level 1 enhanced monitoring Wednesday morning. The province has scheduled a news conference for 3 p.m. to provide updates on Fiona's track and potential impacts to the Island.
EMO is encouraging Islanders to replenish supplies of their emergency preparedness kits, with food, water, heat and fuel supplies to sustain your household for up to five days.
There is still a level of uncertainty, said Simpkin, but that window of uncertainty is getting more narrow as the hurricane moves north.
"Regardless of that storm track, whether that varies even by 100 kilometres, this is such a huge storm that it is going to have impacts here in P.E.I.," said Simpkin.
"If we're prepared then we're less scared and we know where everything is."
Fiona will cap off what is already being a wet week.
Rain fell steadily through the night Tuesday. It will end in the morning but showers will continue and there is a risk of a thunderstorm in the afternoon.
