High winds and rain roar into Halifax causing power outages
Posted Feb 26, 2010 03:59:43 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Thousands were without power as rain and high winds caused chaos throughout Halifax Friday. The weather isn’t going to end any time soon with more rain and wind in the forecast.
Nova Scotia Power crews had nearly 15,000 homes and businesses to hook back up on Friday morning. Downed wires and trees on power lines kept them busy throughout the afternoon.
“Our crews will be out as long as needed, we are still tracking the storm,” says Jennifer Parker with Nova Scotia Power.
The power outages also caused headaches for drivers as several intersections were left without working traffic lights. Live wires were dangling on Spring Garden Road, closing the busy street to traffic.
The high winds closed the McKay bridge to high-sided vehicles. Meanwhile pedestrians and bike traffic was haulted on the Macdonald bridge, with a shuttle provided to get those commuters across the span.
Very few flights got in or out of Halifax International airport on time. The Halifax Rainmen game scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip-off at the Metro Centre was cancelled as the visiting team couldn’t make it to Halifax from Quebec City.
A school bus fire on Old Sambro Road can also be attributed to the weather. Rain leaked into the bus’ electrical system and sparked a fire. The driver escaped without injury, nobody else was on board at the time.
The province’s Emergency Management Office is preparing for storm surge and localized flooding.
News 95.7 Meteorologist Richard Zurawksi says both are real possibilities.
“Winds will be gusting upwards to 90 kilometres an hour in through the metro region,” says Zurawski. “We also have a heavy rainfall warning in effect with amounts, by the time it’s all done, between 50 and 80 millimetres.”
Police are warning drivers to adjust to the conditions and stay off the road if they can.
