Preimer MacDonald Urges NS Residents to Stay inside and avoid weather

Stay inside to avoid Noel, warns N.S. premier
Updated Sat. Nov. 3 2007 8:17 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Nova Scotia Premier Rodney MacDonald is urging people in the province to stay indoors, as post-tropical storm Noel brings high winds and rain to Atlantic Canada.
"We are used to stormy weather in Nova Scotia and people are prepared, but we're encouraging them to stay at home if at all possible," he told CTV Newsnet Saturday evening.
He also cautioned people to stay away from coastal areas.
"When you get waves in excess of 10 metres, it's better to be safe than sorry," he said.
Officials worry the storm will cause widespread power outages and similar damage to Hurricane Juan in 2003.
"All indications are that it could possibly be larger than what Juan was damage-wise," Doug Lovett, a spokesperson for Nova Scotia Power, told CTV Atlantic.
Noel was estimated to be about 400 kilometres south-southwest of Yarmouth, N.S., as of 8 p.m. ET, according to the latest bulletin issued by the Canadian Hurricane Centre.
The storm is moving north-northeast at a speed of 57 kilometres per hour, with maximum sustained winds blowing at 139 kilometres per hour.
"Although Noel is a post-tropical storm we expect it to be accompanied by hurricane force winds," the Centre warned.
According to Environment Canada, rain began to pelt the Yarmouth region Saturday morning and coastal winds have already been clocked at 78 kilometres per hour.
Bob Robichaud, a meteorologist with Environment Canada's Hurricane Centre, told CTV Newsnet on Saturday that the massive system is "intensifying."
"It's covering a pretty huge area right now," he said from Halifax.
"It won't be until later today that we really get into the nasty weather. In terms of the worst of it, we're probably looking at some time after midnight into the early morning hours of tomorrow morning for the exact worst conditions to hit."
Meteorologists are expecting hurricane-force winds along the Atlantic coast with 70 millimetres of rain forecasted for parts of Nova Scotia.
Gusts of 120 kilometres per hour are expected for Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, eastern New Brunswick and along the southern coast of Newfoundland.
The system will move across the Gulf of St. Lawrence Sunday and through Labrador Sunday night.
Maritimers stocked up on emergency supplies Saturday as Nova Scotia Power prepared for the possibility of widespread power outages by having crews inspect powerlines.
Hydro officials in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick say all crews will be on standby and private contractors may be called in to assist in restoring power and removing downed trees.
"We've been talking about this for a few days now, so I think people are aware of it and hopefully taking the proper precautions," Robichaud said.
Lovett urged people to stay off the streets when the storm hits and avoid any fallen powerlines.
"The best thing with powerlines is to leave them well enough alone, and let the people who deal with that kind of thing do their job," he said.
Environment Canada will be co-ordinating with emergency services throughout the Atlantic provinces to keep them abreast of changing conditions.
Noel has blazed a path of destruction through the Caribbean, claiming more than 115 lives.
The storm triggered mudslides and floods, forcing some parents to choose which of their children to save from the high waters.
With reports from CTV Atlantic and The Canadian Press