Leslie heads for Newfoundland - Tornado in Drummondville

Tornado damage in Drummondville northeast of Montreal on Saturday. (CBC)

It was a busy weather weekend across eastern Canada with a strong frontal system and low pressure area sweeping across the area. The front produced strong winds close to 80km/h in southern Quebec along with damaging thunderstorms along its entire length from the Carolina's to Atlantic Canada. Some of the more notable damage occurred in the Drummondville region where Environment Canada has confirmed and F-0 tornado with damage to several homes and torn down trees and power lines. It was the 5th tornado in Quebec for 2012. The same front raced through Montreal around 4pm Saturday with 75km/h wind gusts. The wind and rain managed to cut power to over 90,000 Hydro Quebec customers across the province with most power being restored by Sunday morning. The front also produced several tornadoes in the US with one in the New York City metro area. The rare F-0 storm produced 100 to 120km/h winds and caused damage in the Queens and Brooklyn Burroughs of New York. The storm was also a rain producer with over 50mm reported in a wide swath of Ontario. In Montreal however the front was moving very quickly and only produced 10mm of rain as the city remains very dry.

A tornado taken from Coney Island sweeps across the NYC metro area. (NY Times)

Tropical Storm Leslie

Projected path of tropical storm Leslie.

Hurricane Watches are in effect for coastal areas of Newfoundland for the arrival of tropical storm Leslie on Tuesday morning. The storm which has been meandering in the Atlantic for two weeks, will finally accelerate off to the northeast today and rapidly approach Newfoundland. Aside form the coastal warnings, heavy rain and high wind warnings are in effect for the entire province along with rainfall warnings for Nova Scotia and P.E.I. The biggest threat will occur on Tuesday as winds increase to over 100km/h as does the the surf along the coast. Rainfall amounts will exceed 100mm (4 inches), with flooding likely. The area has been very wet over the last few days with as much as 75mm of rain. Leslie this morning has 60mph winds and is located 1395 kilometers from Cape Race, Newfoundland. The storm is moving to the northeast at 26km/h with an increase in forward speed expected. Some strengthening is possible over the next 24 hours with Leslie likely near hurricane status as she approaches Newfoundland.