Hurricane Juan Hits Canada’s Maritime Provinces

Hurricane Juan, a category 2 storm on the Saffir/Simpson scale with sustained winds of around 80 mph (130 kph), slammed into Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island early this morning, bringing heavy rains and storm surge flooding.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Juan is moving North at around 32 mph (52 kph) and will remain over the two islands for the next 6 to 12 hours.

“Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 35 miles (55 km) from the center, and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 175 miles (280 km),” said the latest NHC bulletin.

Storm surge flooding, estimated at between 3 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 meter’s) is expected to hit the southern coast of Nova Scotia near Halifax, the Island’s capital. The storm is expected to weaken as it continues North.