Hurricane Melissa: Halloween weather may dampen spirits and costumes in the Maritimes

A slow moving low pressure system is bringing further rounds of rain and downpours to parts of the Maritimes tonight. The long range outlook is for a wet and windy Halloween Friday. Hurricane Melissa is the strongest storm on the planet and is moving towards Jamaica.

Raining and pouring

Stalled just off the Atlantic coastline of Nova Scotia a low pressure system will continue to wrap bands of rain and downpours off the ocean and into parts of the Maritimes tonight.

The risk of downpours Monday evening is highest in eastern areas of Nova Scotia. The Annapolis Valley, Cumberland, Colchester and Halifax Counties join the east of Nova Scotia with a risk of downpours overnight. High rainfall rates could lead to reduced visibility and hydroplaning conditions on the roads.

Rainfall warnings remain in effect for Guysborough and Pictou Counties. I have viewer reports of rain totals already in excess of 80 millimeters for communities in Guysborough County. A further 20 to 40 millimeters of rain is possible there tonight.

Special Weather Statements remain in effect for Halifax County – East of Porters Lake, Antigonish County, Cumberland County, Colchester County, Hants County, Kings County, Annapolis County and the southeastern corner of New Brunswick. Those areas could receive another 15 to 30 millimeters of rain by Tuesday morning.

The rain will diminish to become light Tuesday morning. Ending for most areas by Tuesday afternoon.

Halloween weather is no treat

A second low pressure system is forecast to move northward out of the eastern United States at the end of this week.

The center of that system is likely to pass near or through New Brunswick on Friday. The associated weather front with the low sweep across the entirety of the Maritimes. Periods of rain and gusty winds in the forecast for Friday.

The front may also tap into some heavy moisture brought northward by Hurricane Melissa as it takes a path east of the Maritimes towards the North Atlantic. That will mean a risk of downpours within the Friday rain.

At this time you should be thinking about how best to keep costumes dry and warm for any Friday Halloween plans. For evening trick-or-treating our best hope may be that the bulk of the rain moves through Friday morning and afternoon.

Winds could be gusty enough on Friday to blow around or damage Halloween decorations. You may wish to secure them as best you can and be ready to bring them inside if the wind speeds really ramp up in the forecast.

Hurricane Melissa

Hurricane Melissa is an extremely dangerous category-five hurricane as it approaches Jamaica. Damage associated with a category-five hurricane is described as catastrophic. Structures not specifically designed to withstand hurricane force winds can be completely destroyed in the direct vicinity of the landfall point. More widespread impacts include a life threatening storm surge, flash flooding, landslides and extensive utility infrastructure damage.

Landfall looks to be most likely in eastern Jamaica Tuesday morning. Residents in Jamaica are being advised to move to safe shelters and not leave.

Melissa may then go on to make a landfall in eastern Cuba Tuesday night as a category-three hurricane.

As Melissa moves north past Bermuda it is expected to pass to the east of the Maritimes. As noted above though it brings a lot of moisture north with it. Should that feed into the weather front crossing the Maritimes on Friday it will increase the risk of heavier rain and downpours.