Remnants of Tropical Storm Andrea could cause heavy rain in Atlantic Canada by weekend

The first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season is projected to reach the Canadian Maritime provinces by the weekend, although by then it will likely transform into a wet low pressure system.

The Canadian Hurricane Centre is maintaining watch of Tropical Storm Andrea, which brought heavy rainfall and winds to the west coast of Florida on Thursday.

By the weekend, the storm could  bring heavy rain and moderate wind to Atlantic Canada, mainly in Nova Scotia the CHC reported Thursday afternoon.

As of Thursday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center in the United States had reported maximum sustained winds of about 95 km per hour, with higher gusts.

The centre said about three to six inches of rainfall is expected over the Florida Peninsula. Storm surge and the tide will also likely cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising water, the centre’s update on Thursday afternoon noted.

If the storm surge coincides with high tide, water heights could reach 2 to 5 feet from Tampa Bay northward to Apalachicola and 1 to 2  feet from just south of Tampa Bay as well as in Flagler Beach northward to Cape Charles Light in Virginia, according to catastrophe modelling firm AIR Worldwide.

“Andrea’s winds do not pose a significant threat to engineered buildings such as mid- to high-rise public and private office buildings as well as well-mitigated homes in the storm’s path,”  Dr. Tim Doggett, senior principal scientist at AIR noted in an advisory.

“However, there could be isolated instances of damage to roof coverings and wall cladding of homes and low-rise non-engineered commercial structures such as warehouses and convenience stores,” he said. “In addition, the winds could damage traffic lights and bring down signs. Precipitation-induced flooding is likely the greatest hazard from Andrea and could cause damage to single-family homes and other low-rise structures.”

According to AIR, while Andrea poses no threat to U.S. oil and gas operations in the Gulf, the storm is expected to have an impact on the Eastern Seaboard from northern Florida up to North Carolina as a tropical storm before weakening to a tropical depression early Saturday morning.

The storm should lose its tropical characteristics over the next two days.

Canada had about $1.19 billion in insured losses from severe weather last year, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada.

“First and foremost, people should make sure that they and their families are safe, and that they have a 72 hour emergency safety kit at the ready,” Amanda Dean, IBC’s vice president for the Atlantic region reminded consumers.

“Homeowners should also record contact information for their insurance representative and keep it in a safe place,” she added. “If they need to make a claim, knowing who to contact can make the process move along more quickly.”

IBC also provided these tips for homeowners:

• Lock your windows securely and, if possible, cover window glass with protective film to prevent shattering.
• If flooding is a possibility, move any valuables out of the basement.
• Outside, it is a good idea to remove all outdoor furniture, garbage cans and hanging or potted plants, and trim back trees and shrubs.
• Those in the path of the storm should also ensure they are prepared in case there is a power outage. Fill pots of water in case water pumps are not functioning. Charge flashlight and radio batteries. Unlock doors that automatically operated, such as garage doors.

In the past few years, insurers have dealt with many tropical storms in the Atlantic region, with recent estimates of $115 million in water damage to homes throughout Atlantic Canada, IBC says.

Experts at the hurricane centres in Canada and the U.S. have predicted an above average number of storms for this year’s Atlantic hurricane season.