STILL DIGGING OUT?
Another nor’easter expected to drop more snow on Cape Breton
Better hurry — there’s another nor’easter on the way.
After a brief reprieve, Cape Breton braced for yet another snow-laden nor’easter that is expected to bring even more snow to the island today.
The latest weather event comes less than two days after a total of 72.1 cm of snow fell at Sydney’s Douglas J.A. McCurdy Airport during the storm that hit the area on Monday and continued through Tuesday.
According to a special weather statement issued Wednesday afternoon by Environment Canada, a low-pressure system that developed in the Gulf of Maine was forecast to move over parts of Nova Scotia before spreading to Cape Breton overnight. The storm will see snow becoming mixed with ice pellets before turning to rain which, in turn, will taper off into flurries as temperatures dip below freezing this afternoon.
Snowfall amounts of 10-15 cm are predicted for Cape Breton along with high winds that will result in reduced visibility.
Linda Libby, a Charlottetown-based meteorologist with Environment Canada, says the so-called nor’easters have the potential to become very potent. And, she says that has a lot to do with the geography of the Atlantic provinces.
“One of the things that helps storms intensify is warm, moist air and we have the Gulf Stream running up the east coast of the United States and south of Nova
“But for Cape Breton, this storm is expected to have more mixed precipitation and it’s not supposed to be as long a storm because it’s moving a bit faster although it could slow down a bit when it hits the Gulf of St. Lawrence.” Linda Libby, meteorologist, Environment Canada
Scotia, so that provides an extra boost of energy for storms that track in that direction,” said Libby, adding that heavy snows are always a possibility when a nor’easter strikes at this time of year.
“But for Cape Breton, this storm is expected to have more mixed precipitation and it’s not supposed to be as long a storm because it’s moving a bit faster although it could slow down a bit when it hits the Gulf of St. Lawrence.”
On Wednesday, many Cape Breton residents prepared for the new storm by clearing away as much snow as possible. However, with street-side snowbanks becoming higher and higher, snow removal is becoming more problematic.
At Sydney’s Prince Street Shopping Centre, giant mountains of snow covered large portions of the parking lot.
Meanwhile, most area businesses reopened on Wednesday after being closed for either part or all of the previous day as Cape Breton dug out from the huge snowfall. And, Canada Post mail deliverers were back on their routes after the Crown corporation issued a rare Red Alert on Tuesday when it was determined that it was too dangerous for the workers to perform their duties.