Power outages, wind damage as winter storm lashes Newfoundland


More than 9,000 Newfoundland Power customers were without power on Sunday as high winds, rain and snow hit the island.

Special weather statements and winter storm warnings have been issued for parts of Newfoundland and Labrador, as Environment Canada projects a deluge of rain, wind and snow will hit the island and last until Monday morning.

Gander Weather Bureau meteorologist Veronica Sullivan said that as of 6:30 a.m. NT, 10 mm of rain had been recorded at St. John’s International Airport, with another 30 to 50 mm still to come.

“We can expect rain and drizzle throughout the day today across the Avalon Peninsula, with amounts ranging between 10 and 20mm continuing into the evening as well,” he said.

Beware of flying debris

High winds have also delayed several flights at St. John’s International Airport, Gander Airport and Deer Lake Regional Airport.

Marine Atlantic ferry crossings to and from northern Sydney are also canceled for the day. The wind is creating dangerous conditions for drivers on highways and other roads across the island.

A structure began to collapse in the Battery on Sunday morning due to high winds, rain and rising sea levels. (Henrique Guillermo/CBC)

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary in St. John’s issued a warning to downtown drivers that high winds and flying debris had left a significant amount of broken glass on Harbor Drive, and cleanup crews were already on the scene.

Erin’s Pub, a bar in downtown St. John’s, suffered significant damage, while other businesses near Harborside Park worked using sandbags to mitigate flooding.

In the city’s Battery neighborhood, a structure collapsed next to the historic Pearcey Twine Store, a converted family museum that welcomes thousands of tourists for its history and heritage.

The store suffered some damage as a result of strong winds and strong waves. The water entered through a window at the back of the store that faces the strait.

jason Pearcey He is one of the co-owners of the store. In its 100 years of history, Pearcey He said the building got some “good splashes,” but when he checked the space this morning, water was coming in like he’d never seen before.

“When we put the plywood in the front to block the window, it was like a 12-inch water pipe coming in. It was amazing.” Pearcey saying.

Pearcey said the family’s main concern was that the books, documents and photographs on display could suffer water damage, but nothing was too badly damaged.

Land near businesses near St. John's Harbor flooded
Some businesses in the Harborside Park area of ​​downtown St. John experienced flooding Sunday morning. (Henrique Guillermo/CBC)

Battery residents also entered the store before the weather changed to protect what they could.

“I didn’t put any hand in it. People went to get wood and tools and came in. There were probably a dozen people here with towels and people bought cookies.” Pearcey saying.

The window is now repaired and Pearcey said they will be able to fully restore the store.

Environment Canada expects strong winds to continue to pose problems.

“That will be the case across much of the island today,” Sullivan said, “especially in coastal areas. We’re seeing winds between 90 km/h and 110 km/h for most of the day today.”

Red building overlooking the ocean with boarded up window
High waves broke a window on the side of Pearcey’s Twine Store in the Battery. A structure next to the historic building collapsed. (Henrique Guillermo/CBC)

Snow to the west

Special weather statements are in effect islandwide, with winter storm warnings currently issued for the Northern Peninsula as well as the Green Bay and White Bay areas, with around 15cm of snow and more expected on high ground .

While snow is expected in the center and on the Burin Peninsula, Sullivan says it may not stick around.

Walls covered in picture frames.
From floor to ceiling, The Twine Shop is decorated with artifacts from Newfoundland and Labrador history. (Henrique Guillermo/CBC)

“We don’t expect too much accumulation…probably in the region of two inches. Before that, the snow will turn to rain and periods of drizzle for the rest of the day.”

She says that while some snow will fall, in many areas it will be followed by between 15 and 25mm of rain and strong winds across the board.

Sullivan says the weather should continue throughout the day and anyone thinking about traveling should perhaps consider postponing it.

“Combined with all that snow and that wind, we’re going to see several hours of blowing snow, reduced visibility and really bad travel conditions,” he said.

“So it’s going to be a very difficult day for the entire island.”

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