Heavy rain and strong winds forecast for N.S. and N.B.

Heavy rain and strong winds will hit most of Nova Scotia and parts of New Brunswick on Tuesday.

Environment Canada has issued special weather statements in both provinces. Nova Scotia could get the worst of a low pressure system developing over Chesapeake Bay.

Wind warnings have already been issued for counties in southwestern Nova Scotia such as Digby, Yarmouth and Shelburne.

Up to 60 millimetres of rain could fall with winds potentially reaching 90 km/h in many areas. Winds could push to 160 km/h in Inverness county, which is also under a wind warning.

"There's going to be some strong southeast winds developing in western parts of the Maritimes on Tuesday morning," Halifax-based meteorologist Jim Abraham said in an interview. 

"Then the rain will be starting in the morning in southwestern parts of Nova Scotia, in Yarmouth. It'll get to Halifax, along with the strong winds around lunchtime, and then finally, into the evening, reaching Cape Breton Island," he said. 

Rainfall amounts will be highest along the Atlantic coast, Abraham said. He says the actual duration of the rainfall will be somewhere between 12 and 18 hours.

Abraham says residents in some parts of Nova Scotia should anticipate power outages.

Not as much rainfall is in the forecast for New Brunswick, but Abraham says the day could have a messy beginning.

"Parts of New Brunswick may start out as mixed snow and ice pellets," he said.

Special weather statements issued in several counties in that province call for 20 to 30 millimetres of rain and winds reaching up to 80 km/h.