Post-tropical storm Hermine projected to lose steam as it hits Canadian waters

Environment officials say Maritimers should brace themselves for blustery weather during the first week of school, as post-tropical storm Hermine makes it way up the East Coast.

Doug Mercer of the Canadian Hurricane Centre says Atlantic Canada will be spared the flooding and lashing winds that battered the United States as the storm made its way from Florida to Virginia over the holiday weekend, causing three deaths, power outages and severe property damage.

The meteorologist says the Category 1 hurricane has been downgraded to a post-tropical storm and is projected to continue to lose steam as it hits Canadian waters mid to late next week.

He adds it will not make landfall.

Mercer says residents of the six counties in Nova Scotia most likely to be affected by the storm —Lunenburg, Queens, Shelburne, Yarmouth, Halifax Metro, Halifax County West and Halifax County east of Porters Lake — can expect showers and wind-resistance on their way to work,but says “it might just be like a blustery fall day.”

He says there is a small possibility of the gale-force winds along the Atlantic coast of mainland Nova Scotia and predicts local rip currents on some beaches.

Mercer says the path of the storm is still uncertain, so people should check their weather forecasts in case the intensity changes.