Hurricane Dorian heads towards Canada after battering Bahamas and US coast
- Storm expected to make landfall near Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Saturday, bringing hurricane winds and pounding waves
- Death toll in Bahamas expected to rise dramatically as relief workers sift through wreckage in Dorian’s wake
Hurricane Dorian has been a named storm for nearly two weeks, and the tireless tropical system just will not quit. After harassing the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, ravaging the northwest Bahamas, and coming ashore on the US mainland over Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, Dorian has a new destination in mind: Canada.
Tropical storm and hurricane warnings are in effect for Nova Scotia, with tropical storm and hurricane watches up for portions of Newfoundland.
Environment Canada is forecasting sustained winds of 90 to 110km/h (55 to 70mph) in most locales, while wind gusts could top 120km/h (75mph) “near and to the south of the forecast track”. Five to 10cm (two to four inches) of rain can be expected as well, while waves of 4.5 to 9 metres (15 to 30 feet) could result in “rough and pounding surf”.
Storm surge flooding is also possible, and Environment Canada said “warnings may be issued later today”.
Dorian is expected to make landfall overnight on Saturday and into the wee hours of Sunday morning near Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The city of over 400,000 is bracing for sustained winds as high as 130pm/h (80mph) and gusts over 145km/h (90mph). By then, the forward speed of Dorian will have picked up to more than 48km/h as it races northeast.