Kyle becomes Hurricane heads for Nova Scotia

Kyle was upgraded to a hurricane late this afternoon as the storm spins northward in the open Atlantic east of Cape Hatteras. Hurricane Kyle is expected to reach the Maine/New Brunswick/Nova Scotia coast late Sunday night or early Monday morning. The storm will strike the area on the 5th anniversary of deadly hurricane Juan. Kyle is expected to be a strong tropical storm at landfall, capable of producing 120km/h winds and over 100mm of rain in the area of southwestern Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and down east Maine. On his present track, Kyle may brush Cape Cod, then Yarmouth, NS before moving inland near Black Harbor, NB.

At this hour a tropical storm warning and hurricane watch have been posted for coastal areas of eastern Maine, Nova Scotia and southern New Brunswick. A heavy rain warning and high wind warning are in effect for inland regions all the way north to the Gaspe region. A drenching rain has preceded Kyle with reports of 2-4 inches in areas from New York City to Halifax. High surf will affect the coast from Cape Cod to eastern Nova Scotia. Flooding has already been reported in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. Tropical moisture has pushed clouds and showers well inland all the way to Quebec and extreme eastern Ontario.

Kyle heads for Nova Scotia

Tropical Storm Kyle has finally formed north of Haiti last night and is expected to move rapidly northward just to the west of Bermuda. The storm is forecast to intensify to a Category 1 hurricane before hitting Nova Scotia late Sunday or early Monday. All interests in the Maratimes should monitor Kyle till landfall. The storm has the potential to produce high winds over 100mm of rain, flooding, damage and power outages. Prepare now in Nova Scotia southern New Brunswick and PEI.

Meanwhile the heavy rain from the first coastal storm has now pushed into Vermont heading towards southern Quebec. Rain showers and drizzle will affect eastern Ontario for most of the weekend. Winds will be gusty in the St. Lawrence Valley. The Outer Banks of North Carolina are continuing the clean up from several days of storm force winds and high surf. Highway 12 is expected to reopen today after winds and waves subside.

Nights in Rodanthe opens today starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane. While I am usually not into these kind of flicks, I will go for the scenery. Read about the premiere here and learn a little about why I love the Outer Banks so much.

http://hamptonroads.com/2008/09/movie-preview-puts-outer-banks-big-screen

Tropical Trouble

1:40 Update: This link has some important local information NAGS HEAD

Also I thought it would be neat to show you exactly where the webcam is. Above are two of my own pictures from one year ago today taken at the same location as the camera below. Mine are looking south the camera below is looking north. The photo of the house is where they filmed Nights in Rodanthe which opens tomorrow. The sign is the one on the left in the web camera pic.

Two weather systems are poised to pound the Atlantic Coast of the US and Canada from North Carolina to Nova Scotia. Over the last 24 hours winds have topped 60mph in coastal North Carolina. Ocracoke Island had 58mph while Hatteras has recorded 56mph. The fierce wind and pounding seas have breached the highway that runs through the Outer Banks. Coastal highway 12 had been flooded in several spots including near Rodanthe.

The photo above shows the Atlantic on the right pounding the shoreline and dunes while the sound is on the left. Up the middle is a highway believe it or not. NCDOT are working furiously to keep the highway open for emergencies. Travel is difficult at best, and conditions should remain the same most of the day today. Into this weekend indications are that this system will move north towards New York State. Our pleasant summer weather this week will be swept away as clouds and rain move in from the south. This storm will be rapidly followed by another tropical system on the weekend. This second unnamed storm will head for central New England. It is too early to tell what impact they will have on our region but expect clouds and precipitation beginning late Friday. Both storms may be named later today.

Ferry Update: Due to high winds and water, the N.C. Department of Transportation's ferry division had canceled its afternoon runs yesterday between Swan Quarter and Ocracoke, [and] Cedar Island and Ocracoke.... [The] Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry route was running on the hour instead of the half hour, and was expected to end service at 6:30 p.m last night.... Passengers should call 1-800-BY-FERRY for updated information as conditions may continue to change."

Outer Banks being hammered

3pm Update...added this photo from webcam...unreal. That is the Atlantic Ocean rushing down NC 12 on the Hatteras Island.

Over 24 hours of 30-40mph winds have been hitting the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The area is home to Rodanthe and Avon and is basically my home away from home (not this year but that is another story). The surf has been driven over the dunes and onto the thin ribbon of road know as North Carolina 12. With every successive high tide, more flooding is being reported. Expect the battering to continue well into tomorrow as the deepening storm moves across the banks. A Hurricane Hunter aircraft is set to investigate the system today as winds are pushing 65mph just offshore. Here is a link on the story

http://hamptonroads.com/2008/09/hurricane-center-investigating-carolina-coastal-storm

and another link to an awesome web cam in Roadanthe at the S-Curves, you can see the flooding on Highway 12. http://www.darenc.com/webcam/mirlo.php

I stayed just feet from where this camera is located. There is also a new movie coming on this weekend by the way called Nights in Rodanthe...yes it is the same place.

Kemptville phone service out

Thomas street a buzz of activity. Photo SB

At least they had good weather....dozens of contractors and Bell employees were out all night in Kemptville on Thomas Street repairing hundreds of fiber optic phone lines that were severed by a contractor yesterday afternoon. Phone service was cut to nearly 3000 homes and is slowly being restored today.

The weather remains very pleasant with low humidity and brilliant sunshine. We expect temperatures to warm to 23-25C today and Thursday. Beyond that we are watching low pressure developing off the Carolina coast that is forecast to move north towards New York City. Kemptville will remain on the northwest side of this storm, but we may still see clouds and some rain late Friday and Saturday before clearing Sunday. This system is currently producing coastal flooding along the Outer Banks of North Carolina with ocean overwash reported along Highway 12. Waves and winds are pounding the region with gusts recorded over 40mph in Hatteras and seas building to over 8 feet.

We are also watching that potential tropical system near Puerto Rico, but that is still several days out...more to follow.

The Seacoast

Above from top to bottom are the Portland Head Lighthouse, The Sarah Jean coming into Newburyport, Mass from the Atlantic Ocean, Seabrook Beach at sunset, Plum Island Light and Rye Harbor. Click on each photo for more detail.

The Seacoast area stretches some 20 miles from Kittery, Maine to Plum Island, Massachusetts and includes the entire 18 mile coastline of New Hampshire. It is a beautiful mixture of soft sandy beaches, rocky natural harbors and a wide salt marsh. I am looking forward to my next trip down...

Happy Fall

Another frosty morning here in Kemptville, with an overnight low of 3C. We are expecting sunny skies all week with temperatures slowly warming into the 20's. Fall arrives this morning at 11:44 EDT. Say goodbye to the summer that wasn't!

Fall arrives Monday

The Harvest Moon signalling the end of summer was last Monday.

Greetings again...I am finally back north of the border after a week along the New Hampshire coast. Sorry for the lack of entries towards the end of the week, too much time walking the beach at Salisbury State Park and Plum Island. The weather was great for September, we had a warm, windy start and a frosty end. Fall is upon us, it arrives at 11:44am Monday morning. The summer season is ending on a crisp and sunny note. It was not a very good summer to say the least. I would give it a D overall with a D- to begin and a C+ for September.

Power is slowly being restored across the Gulf Coast and Midwest after Hurricane Ike. What a weather event far inland. Hydro One sent about 150 employees down to Ohio to help in that state. Over 1.3 million people were left in the dark in Ohio alone.

Hurricane forecasters are watching another system that is organizing north of Puerto Rico. They will fly an aircraft into the system today. It could become a depression later today - if it is named it will be Kyle. I will post more tonight along with some photos from the coast.

Greetings from the Seacoast

My photo of Portland Head Light in the strong south winds and fog Sunday along the Maine coast.

Greetings from Seabrook NH. Yesterday was quite the day here and on nearby Plum Island, Mass. When I awoke, we were already at 77F (25C) with a south wind of 35mph. The temperature rose into the 80's, and it was an awesome beach day. The winds were from the remains of Ike. Waves were high and a few trees were down.

What remained of Hurricane Ike pounded the Midwest and northeast with fierce winds. Gusts were over 35mph here along the Atlantic Coast and up to 60mph in Upstate NY and Vermont. In Ontario and Quebec much the same. A peak gust was reported at 78km/h in Montreal with a low pressure reading of 98.71 kpa. Power was out to millions of homes from Texas to Ontario. In all a 2000 mile long swath of damage was reported from Ike. So far nearly 50 people have been killed, 30 in Texas alone. All is quiet in the tropics for the moment.

Powerful wind and rain move north

Tropical Depression Ike continues to cause damage and injuries as he races north at 55mph. The storm is now moving into Ontario with heavy rain and wind. Today the Midwest was hammered with 9 inches of rain in metro Chicago and 80mph winds in Ohio and Indiana. Wind warnings are in effect for northern New York, Vermont and Quebec.

I am in Seabrook, NH tonight. It is a night more suited for the deep south in July. High humidity, 23C and dew points near 22C. It is similar to many other areas in the northeast. All regions south and east of the track of Ike have a tropical air mass in place. Winds here will gust over 30mph tomorrow out of the southwest with seas building to 3-5feet along the Atlantic coastline.

This is from Environment Canada at this hour...

Tropical depression Ike heads towards southern Ontario with heavy rainfall and wind tonight.Post-tropical storm Ike is moving rapidly towards the lower Great Lakes from northeast Indiana at a speed of 80 km/h. Ike's trajectory is expected to move across the west end of Lake Erie early this evening and north of Toronto then north of Ottawa around midnight. As a result of this adjusted northward track..The heaviest rainfall will shift accordingly. The heaviest rainfall is anticipated to stretch from near Sarnia northeast across cottage country into the Renfrew area with amounts of 40 to locally 70 mm. Significant amounts of up to 25 mm are expected south of this swath from Toronto through Ottawa as well but this is below the warning threshold of 50 mm in 12 hours.Another issue with Ike is the wind. Strong winds wrapping around Ike this evening remain strong with a few gusts of 120 km/h across Indiana and Ohio. These winds may weaken slightly this evening as Ike crosses southern Ontario but remain strong enough to warrant concern. Southerly winds of 60 gusting to 100 km/h are expected for areas adjacent to Lake Erie from early to mid evening. Winds just north of Lake Ontario will also become strong..At 50 to 80 km/h..But not likely severe. The winds will shift into the northwest at 50 to 70 km/h later this evening.The heavy rain will end this evening for western regions and late tonight or early Monday morning over eastern Ontario.Environment Canada will continue monitor this situation closely.

Ike heading for Ontario/Quebec

Greetings from Portland, Maine...first of all the remains of Hurricane Ike are going to push northeast as a strong depression towards Ottawa on Monday. As a result very heavy rain will occur from central Ontario across the Ottawa Valley and into western Quebec. Heavy rainfall warnings are in effect with 60-90mm of rain or more than three inches. Flooding is always a possibility with this much rain in 24 hours. The main axis of the rain should fall just north of Kemptville but any deviation would result in heavy rain here. Stay tuned and use the links on the left for updated warnings.

I will be on Plum Island, Mass, we will be on the south and east side of this weather system and are expecting high surf with 30mph south winds and 3-6 foot seas. I will let you know how it plays out with pictures...I hope. Small Craft Advisories are posted here for the Atlantic Coast. Bye for now...off to the Maine Mall.

Ike makes landfall at 2:30AM

Hurricane Ike made landfall in the wee hours of the morning today in Galveston with 110mph winds and a wild 20 foot storm surge. The system is moving inland now. Millions are without power and water. Windows were punched out of numerous sky scrapers in Houston and homes were washed from foundations in Galveston.

I spent the day in Old Orchard Beach, Maine today. It felt odd to walk in the Atlantic Ocean and stare at a coastline that shares the same hurricane threat as the Gulf. Last week Hanna went through this area with minor damages and flooding. We saw some utility crews still working today and the odd deep puddle left over but really all is well here.

I will compile more information on damages from Ike and post an update tomorrow. Bye from Maine...see you tomorrow night.

Ike nears Galveston

Ike less than 100 miles from shore...

Incredible images on CNN of water rushing over the 17 foot seawall on Galveston Island. Ike is a very dangerous category 2 storm with 110mph winds and an incredible 20-25 foot storm surge. It has been 25 years since the last big storm Alicia in 1983 hit the region. Ike is a very large storm which accounts for the incredible surge moving ahead of the eye wall. Today the Coast Guard had to execute numerous rescues from those who did not head the the early warnings to get out. The storm is forecast to make landfall in several hours.

Also today a freighter that went out to sea to ride out the storm has lost power to its engines and is drifting into harms way in the Gulf. The coast guard was unable to preform a rescue due to the severe weather conditions, they will have to ride out the storm.

I will be away from my computer for the next several days, but I will attempt to find one and update the site at least once daily. As always all the links on the left are active and I encourage you to use them to stay informed.

Hurricane Ike Updates

Ike 165 miles from Galveston at 2pm...

Above NHC - Below Reuters

Deadly Ike heads for Galveston

Update 1:22PM: Very dangerous Ike continues towards the Texas coast at 13mph with 105mph winds. Strong winds well in advance of the system have already cut power along the coastline (Bolivar Peninsula). Heavy swells have pushed over 8 feet of water up into Galveston Bay with a 20-22 foot storm surge predicted. In the last hour winds have already gusted above tropical storm force in Galveston. Here is the link to the local statement...GALVESTON NWS.

Kemptville this morning, it has since gone up to 139.9...Photo Nathan Jahn

Update 9:54: Ike is 230 miles from Galveston, 105mph winds moving NW13 mph. The idiots at the major gas companies have now pushed the price to 139.9 a litre as they continue to rob us.

Update 8:18: The gas and oil companies being the devious crooks they are have used Hurricane Ike as an excuse to raise gas prices on a Friday. They rose 15 cents a litre in Kemptville overnight to $1.29.9 (that is over $5.00 a gallon).

Ike at 4am CST

Ike is a very dangerous storm moving at 13mph towards the upper Texas coast.

There is great concern this morning in Galveston, and along the entire upper Texas coast and southwestern Louisiana. Yesterday computer models indicated a northerly turn much sooner then originally expected. This spells very serious news for Galveston Bay and Houston. A Hurricane Warning is now in effect from Morgan City, Louisiana to Baffin Bay, Texas with tropical storm warnings as far east as the Mississippi border. Forecasters are expecting a large storm surge from Ike with waves reaching over 20 feet along Galveston Bay and eastward towards Cameron, LA. Massive evacuations have been ordered along the upper Texas coast with more than 1 million residents fleeing inland. Even in Houston most people are being told to leave any low lying areas and to evacuate to upper floors in high rise structures.

Ike is a massive storm with tropical storm force winds extending outward over 250 miles from the center. Ike is a category 2 at this time but expected to increase to a three prior to landfall. The storm is now 265 miles from Galveston and deteriorating weather conditions will occur from this point. All preparations are being rushed to completion at this time. Winds and waves will increase from the south today with landfall near Galveston expected by midnight tonight.

Afterwards Ike is expected to rapidly move northeast towards the lower Great Lakes, and weaken to a depression. Heavy rain and gusty winds will extend well inland, but the life threatening storm surge will be confined to coastal counties. You need to get off the upper Texas and southwest Louisiana coast now.

Please take time to Remember today

For all the victims as well as the family and friends

of those lost that terrible day...we remember.

Frosty Morning & Ike

Steam rises off the relatively warm waters of the Kemptville Creek at sunrise this morning.

I can't believe it was 6C this morning in Kemptville. I don't want summer to go just yet. This is way too fast in my opinion. Tonight there is a real threat of frost away from any bodies of water. Clear skies and light winds, will allow frost to form in many areas as temperatures head towards 3 or 4C. A frost advisory is out for parts of New York State and scattered across New England and New Brunswick. I imaging they will be posted as well for parts of Quebec and Ontario later today. So if you have any tender items in the garden, you might want to cover them up. It will warm up into the weekend with scattered showers.

Hurricane Ike is getting back together after hammering Cuba and the Florida keys all day yesterday. Winds were recorded at 66mph in Key West and 118mph in Cuba. Flooding rain and heavy surf also pounded Cuba yesterday with waves as high as 50 feet. A state of emergency has been declared in 88 Texas counties as they prepare for the arrival of Ike late Friday and Saturday. Forecasters are expecting Ike to regain category 3 strength as he slides across the warm waters of the Gulf. Expect landfall at this time close to Corpus Christie. Afterwards I had expected Ike to remain in south Texas or Mexico and rain itself out as most storms in the southern Gulf do. It now appears Ike will take a sharp right hand turn and get caught up in a weather system moving across the central US. We may see the remains of Ike as a heavy rainstorm some time late in the weekend or Monday.

Fall Weather

Ike has pounded Cuba overnight with 50 foot waves and 100mph winds. There have been reports of fatalities. AP Photo

It is a very cool and grey morning here in Kemptville with a temperature right around 13C, but it feels cooler, much like dare I say fall. It rained quite steady most of the overnight period with around 15mm here in town. The low pressure and cold front will slide east into Quebec and New England today. Look for clearing skies later today but with no clouds and cold high pressure in place, there will be a risk of frost in some localities away from water tonight.

Hurricane Ike is moving across southern coastal Cuba this morning and will move into the Gulf of Mexico by tonight. Look for the storm to gather strength and head for coastal Texas by weeks end. Forecasters are eying Corpus Christie at this time.

Ike over Cuba

Effects of Hanna in Manteo, North Carolina on the Outer Banks this past Saturday.
AP Photo

What remains of tropical storm Hanna is moving out to sea this morning east of Newfoundland. The storm dumped nearly 150mm of rain on parts of New Brunswick, at times over 30mm an hour. Some roads have been washed out, basements flooded, and rivers are running at bank full. In Nova Scotia 40-70mm fell with 70km/h winds that cut power in places. Hanna was a quick moving system which lessened the impact on the region. Across New England it was much of the same, very heavy rain Saturday night with flooding, trees and power lines down.

Hurricane Ike this morning is moving across Cuba from east to west. The storm is encountering the mountainous terrain of the central part of the island country, and has weakened to a category 2 hurricane. Its 125mph winds and storm surge moved inland last evening. Ike is expected to move back into the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday and will threaten the central Gulf by weeks end. Forecasters are eying the upper Texas coast as a possible US landfall, possibly near Galveston Island.

In eastern Ontario we are awaiting the arrival of a strengthening low pressure area from Ohio. The system is forecast to move down the St. Lawrence Valley on Tuesday with steady rain in the region. Look for 15-25mm of rain. Meanwhile today a cold front will slip across the valley later this afternoon. there is the risk of thunderstorms with the passage.

Ike remains strong

Ike this morning from the NHC. Below flooding in Haiti from Hanna. More than 130 deaths have been reported. The Red Cross needs your help. www.redcross.ca

Hanna is moving northeast into Nova Scotia this morning. Rain has been extremely heavy along the path of the storm with 3-5 inches or 75-125mm. Flooding has been reported. All attention is now turning to Hurricane Ike. Ike is located near Grand Inagua Island in the southeastern Bahamas and is heading west southwest towards Cuba. Sadly more heavy rain is expected for flood ravaged Haiti. I will have more information shortly.

Ike a 4 - Hanna Update

Tropical Storm Hanna is moving into New England at this hour with 90km/h winds and about 100mm of rain (3-4 inches). Flood Warnings are in place for much of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. At its closet approach to our region Hanna sent a steady stream of rapidly moving clouds along with periodic showers and drizzle into North Grenville this afternoon. The IR image below shows the clouds and precipitation along her western flank over our region. The photo above I took today down at Windmill Point along the Seaway looking south into New York State. Clouds rapidly flowing to the northeast along with a few showers and that is all.

As Hanna turns towards the Maratimes and off into the Atlantic we will turn our attention to extremely dangerous Hurricane Ike. Ike is a category 4 storm at this time with 135mph winds. He is moving west southwest towards Cuba at this time. The storm may slide south of the keys but enter the Gulf and could threaten Louisiana again. I wish it were not so, but each successive computer run brings it into the Gulf. Lets pray/wish it out to sea.

A full update tomorrow morning by 8am.

Tropical Update

It is raining this morning across eastern Ontario. Here in Kemptville we had about 10-15mm overnight. Most of the rain was from a cold front that passed over the region. I noticed on radar this morning across central New York State, some of the northern feeder bands from Tropical Storm Hanna are beginning to cross that area. They should remain south and east of Ontario.

Hanna is over eastern North Carolina. Rain has been steady inland with 2-4 inches and some flooding reported. Winds have been gusting to 50 and 60 mph along the Outer Banks and north into Virginia. Heavy rain is expected northward into the middle Atlantic and northeast and New England. Heavy rain warnings are also in effect for southern New Brunswick and western Nova Scotia for up to 80mm of rain tonight into Sunday.

Flood Watches and Tropical Storm Warnings are in effect from the Outer Banks north into New England. Our attention will turn soon to Hurricane Ike that has been maintaining a westward course towards northern Cuba and the Florida Keys. A mandatory evacuation is expected in the Keys shortly. Sadly it appears that Ike will remain a Category 3 hurricane as he moves into the Gulf of Mexico and could threaten the central Gulf Coast once again by the middle of next week.

Hanna nearing coast

Hanna nearing North Carolina. NOAA

At 10pm Tropical Storm Hanna was very near the Carolina coast south of Wilmington. Winds in the region have been reported in the 30-40mph range. Tropical Storm Wind Warnings are in effect northward to southern New England. Heavy rain is expected in Nova Scotia as well. The statement from the Canadian Hurricane Centre can be read here... http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/hurricane/statements_e.html

A tornado watch is in effect for the eastern Carolina's. Scattered tornadoes are possible as the circulation of Hanna moves inland. A second landfall is possible Saturday along Long Island, NY. The good news is Hanna will be a fast moving storm, so rainfall should be limited to 2-4 inches in most areas.

Ike is still forecast to be a major hurricane. We will look at Ike on Saturday as well as an update on Hanna and Gustav's final damage tally.

Hanna near Hurricane Strength

Update 2:22PM: Just a quick note, the combination of an approaching cold front to our west and the remains of Hurricane Gustav sliding north across Ontario are producing gusty south winds from 30-60km/h across the southeastern part of the province today. Kemptville had a gust to 46km/h at 2pm. It is also pumping warm air northward. Temperatures are in he 29C to 32C range today so far (85-90F).

Tropical Storm Hanna continues to move north towards the Carolina coast this afternoon. She is about 315 miles south of Wilmington moving north at 20mph. A NOAA recon flight reported top winds at 70mph. It would only take a small increase to become a hurricane. Rainfall of 5-10 inches is forecast along the path of the storm from South Carolina to Nova Scotia. Gusty winds are forecast along the Carolina and Virginia coast. Tropical Storm Warnings are out from New Jersey south to South Carolina. A Tropical storm watch is in effect north of NJ to Rhode Island.

Hanna moving north, Ike & Florida

Update 10:30am: Hurricane Watch and Tropical Storm warning remain in effect for coastal areas from South Carolina across North Carolina and as far north as New Jersey. Rough seas are expected along the entire east coast today. Hanna is located about 425 miles south of the North Carolina coast. The outer most bands are reaching the southern Outer Banks at this hour. There will be heavy rain, 40mph winds and the risk of a tornado or two. Rotation has been observed in some of the cells.

Eastern Ontario remains influenced by two tropical systems and a cold front on this Friday morning. The remains of Gustav is off to our west with heavy rain falling over Michigan and north into northeast Ontario. 25-50mm of rain are expected there today. Our region will remain warm and humid and approach 30C once again, despite the cloud cover.

Meanwhile Tropical Storm Hanna is off to our southeast and has prompted watches and warnings along the east coast of the US from South Carolina to New Jersey. The storm is moving much quicker at over 20mph as she becomes influenced by a cold front moving southeast. Preparations are being rushed to completion along the southeast shore and at my second home, the Outer Banks of coastal North Carolina. The storm will move north today and into the Maratimes by Sunday. Along her path rainfall will be significant, but not as much as expected due to the rapid movement of the storm. Most areas in her path can expect winds of over 50mph and rainfall amounts of 2-4 inches with upwards of 100 inches in the Carolina's and southeast Virginia.

Hanna has killed over 130 people in Haiti due to intense flooding.

Hurricane Ike is a dangerous category three storm this morning heading west in the Atlantic. The storm is heading towards the Bahamas and South Florida. Watches may be needed by days end.

Hanna threatens East Coast

Update at 3pm: Hurricane Watch extended northward to Ocracoke Inlet. Now its personal as Hanna threatens my favorite place on the planet Orcacoke Island (See My Blog List below). The projected path of Hanna. Courtesy NHC

Tropical Storm Hanna is taking aim at the entire eastern seaboard. A hurricane watch is in effect from Surf City, North Carolina to Edisto Beach, South Carolina. There is growing concern that Hanna could produce 4 to 8 inches of rain or up to 200mm from the Carolina's into southern and eastern Quebec, with the heaviest rain in the mountains of the east including water logged Vermont. We could see this rain in our area by Saturday. The storm will bear close watching. This morning Hanna is drifting north across the Bahamas with 50-60mph winds. She is expected to reach hurricane force by late Friday before sweeping into the Carolina coast. After that she will race northeast across New England and into the Maratimes.

Once we are done with Hanna we will have to quickly turn our attention to Hurricane Ike. Ike is a monster category 4 this morning with winds of 145mph as he heads west in the open waters of the Atlantic. All interests along the east coast from Florida to Nova Scotia need to watch where Ike is going.

Next update by 4pm today....

Remember September

Ah yes, September......the most active tropical month of the year. We currently are watching four systems. Gustav is dying out over Arkansas. The storm was responsible for 7 US fatalities and damage in the billions. Coastal areas inland all the way to I-10 suffered tremendous damage - west of New Orleans. Almost 1.2 million people were without power, and it may be weeks before it is restored. Many inland areas such as Baton Rouge and Lafayette suffered more damage than New Orleans.

Next is Hanna...after slipping south for several days and flooding Haiti with the loss of several lives, the storm has slowly began a northward drift. Forecasters expect the storm to intensify slowly to a Category 1 Hurricane before making landfall on the South Carolina coast. The storm will then move northward along the eastern seaboard towards Nova Scotia. Clouds and rain from Hanna will spread into eastern Ontario Saturday.

Tropical Storm Ike is expected too become a hurricane today as he moves west across the Atlantic towards the Bahamas. This storm will bear watching as it moves into more favorable conditions for intensifying.

Josephine is a tropical storm way out in the Atlantic just off the coast of Africa and moving west. It is days away from being on our radar.
Bear in mind it is September and forecasters are predicting a very active month for all areas along the east coast and gulf coast. That includes our Maratimes, eastern Ontario and Quebec.

Gustav Update

Water sweeps over the levees in the Industrial Canal area of New Orleans in this Reuters photo.

8:00PM: Hurricane Gustav is well inland over Louisiana near Baton Rouge. The storm made landfall today with major damage from Grand Isle to the Texas border and east into New Orleans and beyond towards Florida. Plenty of wind and water damage along the entire coast. 700,000 are without power. The levees in New Orleans were over topped, but they appear to be holding so far. Major flooding is occurring in other Parishes around the southern part of the state as other levees fail. A fierce effort is underway with sandbagging to save numerous homes. Some regions along the immediate coast remain under 10 feet of water.

Our attention will turn shortly to now Hurricane Hanna and Tropical Storm Ike. Hanna is heading through the Bahamas and is expected to threaten the southeast by weeks end. Ike is in the open waters of the Atlantic heading west.

Gustav on the Louisiana Coast

11:15 Update: Gustav continues to hammer the Louisiana coast at this hour with the surge moving inland. Over 10 feet of water at least is moving inland. According to CNN water is beginning to breach the levees in the lower ninth ward once again. This is a developing story and it is not clear if the water is passing over or through them...the winds and seas will continue to pound the region all day and only subside towards the end of the day as Gustav continues to move further inland. Power poles, trees, roofs have been reported down. Damage reports continue to come in as the area continues to receive 100mph winds and stronger in gusts. Heavy weather is being reported from the Florida panhandle to eastern Texas.

NOTE: I will continue to monitor several sources for information, and update the BLOG later today around 6pm. I am on the road for the next couple of hours with satellite radio in hand but no computer..need to work on that!

Gustav on the coast...

Hurricane Gustav is making landfall at this hour on the coast near Grand Isle. The tiny barrier island is under about 4 feet of water at this time as the surge continues to rise. This storm, while being bad, has never looked as bad as Katrina on radar. The good news yesterday was the increase in forward speed which did not allow for any major intensification. In addition dry air working into the system has diminished some of the convection. The short of it is the storm appears to not be as bad as expected. There is flooding and damage and power outages, but so far the news is better than with Katrina. East of downtown New Orleans a 9 foot surge has been reported but the news is the levees are holding.

Winds of close to 100mph have been reported on Grand Island, and 65mph in New Orleans.

We will continue to update all day long as news becomes available from the coast. Keep in mind Hanna is threatening the east coast and two more systems are being watched in the Atlantic. September will be busy. We will turn our attention to Hanna later today.

Gustav moving quickly towards coast

Update 8:19 PM...Tuned in to watch Anderson Cooper on CNN from downtown New Orleans, and they were knocked off the air as the first heavy rain band from Gustav moved in. I understand a tornado warning is in effect for some of the southern Parishes closest to the Gulf. Rain bands will continue to increase in aerial coverage and intensity tonight. The bad weather is moving in much quicker than expected as Gustav continues to churn along at 18mph. The main causeway to New Orleans was closed at 7pm tonight. Those who have not left now must ride out this very dangerous storm.

Gustav in the last hour edging closer to the mouth of the Mississippi River

Hurricane Warnings are in effect for the Mississippi and Louisiana coastlines tonight as Gustav races towards the coast. We expect the storm to cross the coast near Grand Isle with a surge of 10-14 feet. Evacuations and preparations are being rushed to completion at this hour. Forecasters still expect the storm to increase once again in strength just prior to landfall. If the storm continues on this speed it will become less likely that intensification will occur. Hurricane force winds are expected to spread across the coast in outer rain bands beginning as early as tonight.

• Heavy rain and thunderstorms were occurring across central and southern Florida all day along the eastern fringe of the storm.

• Oil production in the Gulf has been halted. The region produces up to 25% of all US oil.

• A curfew will go into effect in New Orleans at sunset tonight. 2000 Army National Guard troops are in the city to help enforce the curfew and prevent looting.

• Canada has already sent an Air Force transport aircraft with supplies to Louisiana from CFB Trenton today.

New Orleans Evacuated

Infrared image of Gustav north of Cuba this morning...Courtesy NOAA NHC

Almost three years to the day, it is deja vu all over again. Hurricane Gustav, a major category three storm, is bearing down on the Louisiana coast this morning. This storm lost some of its punch overnight after hammering the western tip of Cuba with driving rains and powerful winds. While numerous deaths occurred in Jamaica and Haiti, so far none were reported in Cuba. Hundreds of thousands of people continue to flee New Orleans this morning packing highways as they head north and west away from the city. Mandatory evacuations are in place with hundreds of buses and scores of aircraft transporting people away. 1750 National Guard Troops have been placed in the city to enforce curfews and prevent looting. Mayor Nagin has informed anybody that stays behind that they will have no services. The message is "Get the heck out now!"

Forecasters expect Gustav to make landfall late Monday as a category 4 storm. A wall of water preceding the storm (strom surge may be over 18 feet with Gustav) is expected to send Lake Ponchatrain and the Mississippi over there banks once again.

Next Update this afternoon around 2pm...

Gustav a Major Hurricane

8:00PM Update: Gustav is a very dangerous hurricane this evening. The storm had increased in strength rapidly, and is now a Category 4 with 150mph winds. The storm is on the Cuban Coast near Los Palacios. Winds and rain in the region have been fierce. The storm is expected to move into the Gulf of Mexico overnight and could become a Cat 5. A Hurricane Watch is in effect from the Florida/Alabama border west to the Texas border. Best estimates at this time put landfall into Louisiana by Monday night or Tuesday warning. Evacuations have been ongoing all day with traffic jammed onto area Interstates for miles. It has been orderly so far and continues to be more organized than last time. Next full update will be in the morning.
Use the HurricaneCity link on the left for all up to date information.

Major Hurricane Gustav this morning.

Top: Photo of Traffic moving north on I-10 evacuating New Orleans early this morning.

Hurricane Gustav has become a major hurricane overnight with 120 mph winds and a pressure drop of 24mb in 24 hours. It is a Category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson scale as the storm heads towards the Isle of Youth and western Cuba. All interests in the Gulf of Mexico from the Florida Panhandle to Texas are beginning to prepare for the storms arrival by late Monday. Evacuations have been ordered in the Parishes around New Orleans. New Orleans itself had not ordered an evacuation yet but all residents are being encouraged to leave. The evacuation order could come at any time. Forecasters expect Gustav to become a category 4 and then weaken slightly as the storm approaches the coast. On this path the storm would move inland southwest of New Orleans near Grand Isle, Louisiana or near Lafayette. This would send a devastating storm surge up the Mississippi Delta towards New Orleans, and severely test the new levee system that was put in place after Katrina in 2005.

Updates all weekend long and also check out this site for local coverage... http://www.nola.com/

Katrina, Gustav and Hanna

Gustav this morning moving away from Jamaica towards Cuba

Lots to talk about this morning so here it goes. Today is the third anniversary of the worst storm this weather person has ever tracked. I have been plotting storms for over 25 years. Prior to Katrina we all measured storms by Camille in 1969. All that changed in 2005 when Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, very close to where Camille had done so 36 years before. The storm all but destroyed the Mississippi Gulf Coast up to 1 mile inland as well as flooded New Orleans when the levees failed, with the loss of 1500 souls. You can read all my entries here

http://valleyweather.blogspot.com/2005_08_01_archive.html

With that we come to 2008. Tropical Storm Gustav threatens to hit some of the same real estate that Katrina did. The storm is poised to hit the Louisiana coast by next Tuesday as a major hurricane. That is far off and there remains great uncertainty in the forecast, but officials are taking no chance. Evacuations could be ordered as early as Saturday morning. The death toll from Gustav has surpassed 20 in flooding and mudslides across Haiti. Jamaica was hit last night with heavy rain ans gusty winds. I was listening to Power106 in Kingston, Jamaica and it seemed that power outages and some downed trees were the worst damage at that time.

T.S. Hanna meanwhile is moving through the northern Caribbean far from land at this point but bears watching for impact on the east coast. There are at least two other areas that the National Hurricane Center are watching as 2008 begins to look a lot like 2005.

It is Labor Day weekend, be safe and enjoy the last long weekend of the summer. The weather looks awesome. Sunny and warm here in Ontario and Quebec.

Uneasy in the BIG Easy

The forecast does not look good for Louisiana

1:00PM Update: Tropical Storm Hanna has formed 300 miles northeast of the Leeward Islands. Hanna may threaten the Bahamas and the US Mainland from Florida to the Carolinas next week.

10:35am Update: A NOAA recon aircraft has reported that Gustav has intensified and now has 70mph winds. A Hurricane Warning is now in effect for Jamaica.

As we approach the 3rd anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, concern is growing in New Orleans. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Centre in Coral Gables, Florida have been watching Tropical Storm Gustav reorganize south of Cuba overnight. Gustav is forecast to become a major hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico over the weekend. The storm has already been blamed for several deaths in Haiti from flooding. Gustav is expected to approach the central Gulf Coast by Labor Day. New Orleans is so concerned that Mayor Ray Nagin has already declared a State of Emergency. There remains great concern that the levees, so badly damaged during Katrina, will not hold for another major strike.

Waiting in the wings once we are done with Gustav will be TD#8 which should become Hanna today. We are heading into the busiest month for hurricanes.

Last nights sunsets were spectacular in Ontario and Quebec. The great spectacle was a result of high clouds from the remains of Fay streaming north into our region. The weakening low pressure area is sending some scattered showers into our region today but will continue to weaken as she slides south of Ontario. The weekend looks spectacular to officially end another summer holiday season in Ontario.

Fire and Ice

Gustav this afternoon.

My column this week in the Kemptville Advance was about the signs of fall. They are upon us, none more obvious then the maples that have begun to change color here in North Grenville. There is also the cool nights and the heavy dew. It was 6C in Kemptville this morning. So as I sit here listening to the Yankees and Red Sox and track hurricane Gustav as we approach Labor Day, all the signs are there, but I still can't believe it. What happened to summer? Oh my all the rain and clouds. Let's hope September is sunny and warm just like the last two years. I must tell you I am not prepared to say goodbye to a season that really never came.

I have a few interesting tidbits from the world of weather over the last 24 hours. It was hot in Saskatchewan yesterday, temperatures were in the mid 30's with a record 39.4C in Val Marie. That came ever so close to the all time record warm day recorded in Canada set in Yellowgrass, Sask. black on July 5, 1937 of 45C (113F). Another hot spot yesterday was 37C in Assiniboia, or 100F. Today, not so hot, it is down to 10C in Swift Current, and 16C in Assiniboia.

Meanwhile the cold airmass in the east has led to frost advisories across the Adirondack Mountains of New York. Temperatures will dip close to freezing tonight. Frost may also occur in parts of southern Quebec and the Green Mountains.

Hurricane Gustav is hitting the south coast of Haiti at this hour. The storm has 75mph winds and is expected to move across that country and along the Cuban coast on Wednesday. Expect Gustav to become a major category three Hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico by Thursday. After that models have him all over the Gulf. All interests should pay close attention to the forecast of this very dangerous storm. There are three other areas of interest in parts of the Atlantic basin as we enter the most active time of the hurricane season.

Fall is in the air

What a change in air mass overnight. When I went to sleep at around 11pm it was 26C in my house (after a high close to 30C Saturday and Sunday) and about 23C outdoors. Woke up to a howling wind at 3am and it was 14C outside and 17C inside, blanket weather. Some signs the seasons are changing, the dew is heavy every night now, it gets dark by 8pm, the trees are beginning to change color, I can't believe that! And lastly the squirrels on my property are gathering the acorns every morning. They have been so busy knocking them off the trees and gathering them up. I have never noticed so much activity by them in August before. Not sure what It means, but we better get ready, just in case.

Here is a Tropical Storm Fay update. The system has been downgraded to a tropical depression after saturating the southeast and Gulf coast states with rain. Over 25 inches fell in Melbourne Beach, Florida with 10-15 inches across the rest of the gulf region. Flooding is severe and widespread. Fay is expected to begin slowly drifting north. This morning she is located 75 miles south of Jackson, Mississippi. We can expect some rain from the remnants by Thursday. In the meantime a NOAA Recon plane is expected to fly into some disturbed weather near Jamaica today. A system is showing strong indications it will become Gustav within the next couple of days. Well we get rid of one and here comes the next storm!

Awesome Weekend Weather

With high pressure in place over eastern Ontario, the weekend is shaping up to be one of the best this summer. There is a chance of some showers along a cold front Sunday, but that should be later in the day. Most of the weekend will be sunny and dry. It is warm today close to 30C in many parts of the province. Kemptville is at 29C however one of my thermometers in the sun is reading 39C...ouch very warm. Not very accurate, however it is much warmer than it has been. Enjoy the weekend and be safe.

Back among the connected

Sheriff Deputies patrol Central Florida in the wake of Fay

I will begin this entry with one line....I know better! I should have unplugged my computer and modem when Monday nights fierce thunderstorm moved into Kemptville. The storm was by far the most intense this summer, with incredible lightning in our area. One or two bolts....they scared the hell out of me, hit very close to my house, between me and KTC, and took out my cable. The surge ran up my cable wire right into my modem and computer and took out my network card. It continued into other parts of my electronic world but those items were far less important to me than my computer. Needless to say I was not happy, and a little embarrassed to boot. I should know better! Well thanks to the fine customer service from Cogeco, they are awesome compared to Bell, and Sigma Computers here in Kemptville (613-258-9716) http://www.sigmacomputers.on.ca/ I am back on line...among the living...or connected.

What did we miss? Well not much here. For the first time since May 8 or so, by my calculations, we are going to have 5 dry days in a row. Today will be sunny and 27C, close to 30C tomorrow. The only threat for showers comes late Sunday.

Tropical Storm Fay has been historic in places in Florida. The stubborn storm is crawling across Florida at less than 5mph. The system first came onshore near the Keys and has moved north towards Port St. Lucie and now across the state and just off the Atlantic coast near Daytona. It has taken all week to do this. Winds have been minimal in the 50-60mph range. Some tornadoes have caused isolated major damage. But the big weather story is the rain. Over 25 inches or 725mm or rain has soaked parts of east central Florida. A state of emergency in in effect in several counties with the National Guard performing numerous water rescues. The water just keeps rising. Until the storm decides where to go the area will keep getting drenched.

Traquil weather finally

Above: Lightning (bottom right) in Kemptville yesterday afternoon... Below:along with dark skies.

After yesterdays storms it will become very tranquil for the rest of this week. We need it! The storms yesterday were the worst this summer to date in Kemptville. The lightning was intense, winds were strong, hail fell, and over 25mm of rain in less than 90 minutes. Today is cool and dry and it will remain dry right into the weekend with a gradual warming trend.

Tropical Storm Fay has moved into south Florida this morning. I will post more details later.

I apologize for the lack of entries last night, I had intended on posting frequent updates, then lightning struck near my house and destroyed my modem.

Severe Thunderstorms move into region

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is in effect for all regions of Eastern Ontario with a Watch for Upstate NY. The line of severe weather is now into Ottawa. Heavy rain, hail and wind gusts to 120km/h are occurring. Rainfall of 20-30mm will occur with this front. A second line is moving east into the same above regions. Prepare now for these storms in Leeds Grenville and SD&G. The storms will affect the area till about 7pm. A tornado is not out of the question...be alert, stay safe.

Thunderstorms moving into Ontario

A fast moving line of severe weather is moving south into eastern Ontario this afternoon. Expect severe weather anytime this afternoon as a sharp cold front slides into a very warm and unstable air mass. It is currently 28C here in Kemptville and we are expecting it to go down to 9C tonight. As the cold air invades the area storms are expected to develop. Some of the storms may have hail and strong winds. An isolated tornado cannot be ruled out.

Check here for warnings and watches..
http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/warnings/report_e.html?on13

Tropical Storm Fay Update

Tropical Storm Fay this morning leaving Cuba.

As expected tropical storm Fay formed over the weekend south of Cuba and is now crossing the island nation. Heavy rains have produced flash floods, killing 5 people. A tropical storm warning is out for the south coast of Florida including Miami and the Florida Keys. A hurricane warning may be needed later today. As the storm moves back over the open waters of the Florida straits, Fay is expected to strengthen and could become a category 1 hurricane later today as she moves along the west coast of the sunshine state. The threat to the northeast coast of the US is gone as Fay has taken a more westerly track. She will however produce flash flooding from western Georgia into the Carolina's by Wednesday.

Isolated Thunderstorms in Ontario

A week upper air disturbance had been the catalyst for some heavy thunderstorms this afternoon along the St. Lawrence River from Kingston to the Quebec border. These storms may slide northward. They are isolated in nature, but producing very heavy rains and small hail. If travelling in the 416/401 area today be ready for changeable weather.

East Coast Hurricane?

Forecasters are growing more concerned that the area of low pressure near the Leeward Islands today could become a big threat to the eastern seaboard next week. Several computer models are suggesting the system, which should become Tropical Storm Fay this weekend, is going to move up towards the Carolina's and grow into a major hurricane. Anybody who is travelling to New England or the Eastern Seaboard next week should monitor the progress of this potential storm this weekend. Use the link on the left for hurricane information (hurricanecity.com) for all the latest updates. I will be following the progress this weekend and providing updates in later posts.

**I usually wait before posting on anything a computer model has to say a week or more out, but with all the travel too and from the east coast beaches at this time of year by residents of Ontario and Quebec, I thought it was important to sound the alarm.

Fun on the Beach

Despite the weather in Nova Scotia, my two fav dogs returned home to their native land to enjoy some sand and sea. Both Rufus (bottom) and Ginger told me that it rained, but they did not care!!!

Thanks Annie for the pictures.

The best forecast in some time

While it is not an ideal forecast for outdoor activities, it is the best we have had in some time. The showers the last couple of days here in eastern Ontario have been hit and miss, and luckily more miss than anything here in Kemptville. It has been dry with some sun. I actually washed my car yesterday. For those who know me I am a neat freak, and I have been unable to wash my car since July 1, yep 6 weeks!

The upper level low has moved southeast off the mid-Atlantic coast, good for us. Some more unsettled weather will slip across our regions late today and again on the weekend, but the trend is for more sun than cloud and only a few scattered thunderstorms. It will be warming up as well, close top 80F (27C) by Monday...yeah!!!

Watching the tropical Atlantic, low pressure north of the Leeward Islands is showing signs of becoming a depression. A NOAA Recon aircraft will fly into the system today to check its intensity. We could be looking at Tropical Storm Fay by the weekend.

Storms miss Kemptville

The amazing photo above is of the upper level low spinning over our area and the Great Lakes. It looks like a Hurricane but thankfully is producing rain and some hail, but not much wind.

So far the news is good for Kemptville today. While we continue to be under the influence of that stubborn upper level low, most of the weather has remained either southeast or northwest of our region. Storms continue to develop and redevelop in the swirl that is this system and spin counterclockwise towards our region. They may occur at any time today and tomorrow. Where they have occurred, the amount of rainfall produced has been amazing. Places around Renfrew and the Ottawa Valley have reported very heavy rain. In upstate New York, parts of Franklin and St. Lawrence Counties have had over 75mm of rain in less than an hour today. Flooding was reported. That area as well as all of Vermont remains under a Flood Watch.

It was likely a similar type storm that produced flooding in Oxford Mills last Thursday night. I was away in Vermont, but one of our writers, Diana Fisher, provided me with the photo you see above. It rained for less than 20 minutes and produced serious flash flooding. I checked area weather stations and only found a few mm had fallen. It was much more over Oxford Mills, but I have no definite amount to report. If anyone out there in Oxford Mills has a rain gauge, give me a call here at The Advance.

Thank You!!! I have surpassed 10,000 hits and I thank you for every one of them.

More Thunderstorms

Heavy thunderstorms begin to develop over Lake Champlain as the Port Kent ferry rolls in.

I just returned home from a short trip to Burlington, Vermont on the shores of Lake Champlain. The weather was, well, terrible, again. It rained each day, rather heavily with numerous severe thunderstorms. It has been the same old weather pattern for the better part of the last two months, with one upper level low after another spinning its way over the Great Lakes, and across the northeast. The persistent rain has saturated the soils in most of Vermont and northern New York as well as southern Quebec and parts of Ontario. Flooding has been a regular feature in Vermont and Quebec. While we were down in the US, flooding washed out several Vermont highways, damaged homes and cut power. Several counties have been declared federal disaster areas. At this hour we are under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch in Ontario while upstate New York and Vermont is under a Flash Flood Watch. Today's storms are expected to linger into Monday before ending late in the day. The potential exists in all regions for another 25-50mm of rain or 1-2 inches. More flooding is possible.

Tropical Storm Edouard along Gulf Coast

The most recent sat photo of Edouard nearing the Texas/Louisiana coast.

I have a few odds and ends to clear up on this Civic Holiday Monday in Ontario. It is a partly sunny and warmer day, but not without scattered showers again. This will be another unsettled week, with showers and thunderstorms each day till Friday at least.

First and the most important is Tropical Storm Edouard. The storm is moving along the Louisiana coast today and is expected to move into extreme southeast Texas on Tuesday. The storm may reach hurricane strength. In any event rough seas, coastal flooding and about 10 inches of rain are forecast for the area. This is the same region that was affected by both Katrina and Rita in 2005.

Showers and thunderstorms continued in rain ravaged Quebec and Ontario today. The rain in Quebec has turned deadly with two fatalities reported from the flash flooding in the eastern part of the province. Roads have been washed away and homes damaged. Flooding in Montreal on Saturday caused millions of dollars in damages. The heavy rain has also produced serious flooding in New Brunswick.

• Below are some photos I took of the historic Nascar race in Montreal this weekend. They show the second place car of Patrick Carpentier and the top photo is of the pace car leading the field past our vantage point in the rain. It was the first time a points paying event was held in the rain for any of the three major divisions of Nascar. Stock cars typically do not like rain!

The rain could hold off no longer! Lightning flashed just prior to the green flag and continued for hours.

Enough Rain Already!

My frustration with the summer of 2008 has reached the end. I just give up. I was so looking forward to the NASCAR Nationwide Series Race in Montreal this weekend and it, like many other things this year, became the victim of rain. Not only did it rain, but it was a bloody monsoon. The rain began just shortly after the green flag waved at around 3:45pm yesterday. For the first time in NASCAR history they switched to rain tires for a point paying event. They continued in the rain till it became an epic downpour and the race was called at lap 48 with Ron Fellows from Toronto winning. Quebec native Patrick Carpentier placed 2nd and Marcos Ambrose 3rd.

I sat in the pouring rain, wrapped in a green garbage bag, trying to keep the scanner and camera dry. While we were troopers, PJ and me, as were the drivers, crews and ESPN, we just had to give up when the shower turned to an Ark-like downpour. While Dorval measured 4.8mm of rain, radar estimates put the east end thunderstorm amounts from the race track north in the 30-50mm range. The rain caused flooding in the Anjou/St. Leonard area of Montreal with many homes flooded and both Highways 25 & 40 closed.

Flooding was also reported in the eastern Townships of Quebec, eastern Quebec around the Charlevoix region, and Vermont. The forecast today...rain. Unreal! Enough already.