Leslie makes landfall on the Burin Peninsula

Tropical Storm Leslie making landfall in Newfoundland this morning. (NOAA)

8:42AM St. John's Newfoundland: SSE86 G 132km/h.

Tropical Storm Leslie has moved over 1000km in less than 24 hours after meandering in the Atlantic for over two weeks. The storm that once was moving slower than the average person walks is now racing northeast at 65km/h, with landfall now occurring in Newfoundland. Sheets of rain have been pelting St John's with the Airport reporting a wind gust in the last hour to 114km/h. Winds have been as high as 120km/h on the Avalon Peninsula. Rainfall rates have been in the order of 25mm (1 inch) per hour. Major flooding is being reported with some roads washed out, especially in the southeast corner of the Province. Newfoundland power is reporting over 12,000 without electricity. Ferry service has been cancelled and schools are closed for the day. The storm will race off to the northeast today with rain and wind slowly diminishing in intensity. The good news with Leslie is that she is making landfall at low astronomical tide so coastal damages will be less. Inland flooding will continue to be a problem as runoff sweeps into rivers and streams and rushes back to the Atlantic. This proved to be a major problem during Hurricane Igor.

Major flooding is occurring in southeast Newfoundland on the Burin and Avalon Peninsula. (CBC.ca)