Canada is preparing for Hurricane Fiona to hit landfall on its Atlantic provinces as it skirts the eastern United States, with the potential for the hurricane “to be a significant and historical weather event” for Nova Scotia, CNN reports.
It’s been over one year since the last hurricane made landfall in Canada, with the nation telling people in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and the Magdalen Islands to prepare for severe weather and rain. Currently a category 3 hurricane about 125 miles north of Bermuda, Fiona is forecasted to hit Nova Scotia Saturday afternoon.
“Fiona is projected to be a significant and historical weather event for Nova Scotia,” said John Lohr, the minister responsible for the provincial Emergency Management Office, adding “It has the potential to be very dangerous. Impacts are projected to be felt across the province. Every Nova Scotian should be preparing today.”
Historically, Canada gets hit with no or perhaps one hurricane a year. In an unusual year, like 2020, three storms can reach landfall, but they typically quickly dissipate once over land before drifting out to see. Fiona is expected to pick up power before taking a land route over Nova Scotia and then before hitting PEI and then parts of northeast Quebec.