Face of Nation : Hurricane Dorian is expected to spin into Atlantic Canada this weekend as either a Category 1 hurricane or a strong tropical storm, churning out sustained winds up to 130 km/h, according to the Canadian Hurricane Centre.
“It’s probably going to be a big deal,” said Environment Canada meteorologist Ian Hubbard. “It’s going to be a very significant wind event. We’re a few days away from it, so we still have to work on the details.”
Hubbard, who’s based in Halifax, said the storm is forecast to track along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard to North Carolina’s Cape Hatteras on Friday and move near Nova Scotia on Saturday, then on to Newfoundland and Labrador on Sunday.
However, Hubbard said it would be a mistake for people in the region to focus on Dorian’s precise track, given the fact the storm appears to be expanding.
“The impacts of this storm will reach well beyond the eye or the storm centre,” he said. “There’s going to be a lot of wind over a lot of areas, regardless of whether you are close to that centre or if you’re a couple hundred kilometres away.” Environment Canada says most parts of Atlantic Canada will experience tropical storm force winds, which exceed 63 km/h.
However, Dorian’s course and strength could change significantly in the days ahead, especially if it makes landfall in the United States.
The latest computer models indicate Dorian could head out to sea as it moves toward Nova Scotia, or it could shift northward into southern New Brunswick and the eastern edges of Quebec and southern Labrador.
