Nova Scotia

Thousands in N.S. without power Thursday as temperatures drop

Thousands of households were without power as strong winds and heavy rain sweep across Nova Scotia.

Rainfall and wind warnings have been issued by Environment Canada

Summary of the peak wind gusts across Nova Scotia on Wednesday night & Thursday morning.
Summary of the peak wind gusts across Nova Scotia on Wednesday night & Thursday morning. (Ryan Snoddon/CBC)

Thousands of households are without power Thursday as strong winds and heavy rain sweeps across Nova Scotia.

Environment Canada has issued rainfall and wind warnings for most of the province.  

CBC meteorologist Tina Simpkin said 20 to 50 millimetres of rain is forecasted along with wind gusts of 90 to 100 km/h. She said temperatures are expected to fall below zero by the afternoon on the mainland and later Thursday on Cape Breton. 

At one point on Thursday morning, over 30,000 Nova Scotia Power customers were without power, according to the utility's outage map.

Classes have been cancelled for all schools in the South Shore, Tri-County, Annapolis Valley and Chignecto Central regional centres for education. 

Halifax Regional Centre for Education has closed some schools due to power outages, as has Strait Regional Centre for Education. Buses will be travelling on paved roads only in Strait Regional and all schools that are open there will dismiss at noon. Cape Breton Victoria Regional Centre for Education has also dismissed some schools early. 

Simpkin said cold air and northwesterly winds Thursday night will contribute to snow flurries, with accumulation of up to 2 centimetres expected in most areas but 5 centimetres possible over higher terrain.