Hurricane Fiona Barrels Toward Eastern Canada

By Staff, Agencies

Deadly Hurricane Fiona weakened slightly to a Category 3 storm but is still packing forceful winds of 125 mph as it barrels toward Canada’s Atlantic coast.

It’s on track to be an “extreme weather event” in eastern Canada, threatening powerful winds, dangerous storm surge and about two months’ worth of rainfall, forecasters with the Canadian Hurricane Center warned Friday afternoon.

“This could be a landmark event for Canada in terms of intensity of a tropical cyclone,” and it could even become Canada’s version of Superstorm Sandy, said Chris Fogarty, Canadian Hurricane Center manager. Hurricane Sandy affected 24 states and all of the eastern seaboard, causing an estimated $78.7 billion in damage.

Officials in Canada’s Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island urged those in the storm’s path to be on high alert and prepare for the impact of the hurricane, which has already claimed the lives of at least five people and shut off power for millions this week as it battered multiple Caribbean islands.

Fiona strengthened to a Category 4 storm early Wednesday over the Atlantic after passing the Turks and Caicos, and remained so until Friday afternoon.

The National Hurricane Center said in its 8 p.m. ET advisory the storm weakened slightly but still whipped hurricane-force winds extending more than 100 miles from its center and tropical storm-force winds extending more than 300 miles.

Its center was about 215 miles southeast of Halifax Friday night.

“Although gradual weakening is forecast during the next couple of days, Fiona is expected to be a powerful hurricane-force cyclone when it moves across Atlantic Canada,” the center said.

In Canada, hurricane warnings were in place for Nova Scotia from Hubbards to Brule and in Newfoundland from Parson’s Pond to Francois. Prince Edward Island and Isle-de-la-Madeleine are also under warnings.

The area has not seen a storm this intense for about 50 years, according to Chris Fogarty, manager for Canadian Hurricane Center.