Lee, now a Post-Tropical Storm, enters the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Thousands of people in the Maritimes were left without power as post-tropical storm Lee moved out of the region. The storm caused damage to coastlines and downed trees. By midday, the storm had moved past Prince Edward Island and into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It was expected to pass west of the Magdalen Islands and reach northern Newfoundland later in the evening.

Bob Robichaud of the Canadian Hurricane Centre stated that while some areas would continue to experience strong winds for a few more hours, the storm would weaken as it moved away from the Maritimes.

In Shelburne, Nova Scotia, the town experienced flooding from a powerful storm surge in its harbour. Andy Blackmer, commodore of the Shelburne Harbour Yacht Club, described the storm as a near-direct hit, with significant winds and flooding causing damage to low-lying areas and town infrastructure.

However, the town avoided further damage during high tide, as the timing of the winds and tide worked in their favor. Further along the South Shore of the province, residents in Bridgewater were cleaning up debris from shredded leaves and branches. Gary Ramey described the winds as “howling” but said they were fortunate to have avoided any fallen trees.

Power outages affected various communities, with Bridgewater and Halifax experiencing the highest number of outages. Fast-food outlets saw increased business as residents sought coffee and hot meals, along with access to WiFi.

Nova Scotia Power had approximately 800 workers restoring electricity across the province, as 277,000 customers were initially affected by the storm. Western Nova Scotia and the Halifax area, along with Truro and New Glasgow, experienced the most significant impact.

In New Brunswick, Grand Manan Island saw heavy rainfall, but there were no reports of major flooding. NB Power crews quickly restored electricity to most homes and businesses. Mayor Bonnie Morse stated that cleanup efforts were underway, and the area survived the storm relatively well.

In Nova Scotia’s capital, Halifax, authorities assessed the damage caused by strong wind gusts and a storm surge that brought large rocks and boulders onto coastal roads. The cleanup included removing fallen trees and addressing road washouts. Power outages and intermittent cell and internet service from Bell outages were ongoing issues.

According to Bob Robichaud, forecasters were not surprised by the severity of post-tropical storm Lee. The storm produced winds over 100 kilometers per hour but remained below hurricane strength.

In Quebec, Environment Canada issued rainfall warnings for the Lower North Shore region above the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The cyclone was expected to bring 30 to 50 millimeters of rain, potentially causing flash floods and washouts. The rainfall was forecasted to subside in the evening.