Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for Yarmouth County and parts of southwestern Nova Scotia.
They’re calling for prolonged heavy rainfall of 40 to 80 mm from Friday afternoon until Sunday night.
A slow-moving weather system is expected to bring heavy rainfall, and thundershowers could develop over some areas to produce even heavier localized rainfall.
Environment Canada will continue to publish alerts and forecasts as more information becomes available.
The Lake of the Woods Secretariat says no changes to the flows out of Lake of the Woods are planned after a series of storms that passed through the area this week.
Between 50 and 100 millimetres of rain fell over Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake areas, helping to bring Lake of the Woods up 3 centimetres.
However, the Secretariat says the dry conditions that have persisted for much of the year are expected to continue.
While the lake level will stabilize, it is still lower than normal for this time of year.
One person has died after massive flooding in in parts of Cape Breton.
The Richmond County RCMP say they got a report around 8:45 a.m. Saturday that a 46-year-old woman from Cleveland was missing, according to a news release from RCMP.
They say her vehicle was found parked near her home on the far side of a flooded bridge.
After ground search and rescue went looking, along with RCMP and local fire teams, they found her body around 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
They say her death is not suspicious.
Top priority
Lois Landry, warden for the Municipality of the County of Richmond, says “the loss of life has been harrowing.”
“Our priority right now is to make sure that there’s no additional loss of life,” says Landry.
She says to the best of her knowledge, she does not believe anyone is missing, but they are really trying to do wellness checks for people who have been cut off by damaged roads.
The area around St. George’s Channel is the biggest concern.
Some volunteer firefighters are in the area and they have been doing wellness checks, and they believe all is good.
But they will likely send in a boat to make sure that they can get to those communities if they need.
Grateful for first responders
Landry thanked first responders, EHS, RCMP, Public Works Department staff and everyone tackling this emergency for their efforts.
She says on Saturday night, they could not get physical barriers to some places where roads were damaged, and some first responders stayed up in their vehicles at those damaged points to warn people to stay away.
Premier Tim Houston also put out a statement, saying his thoughts are with the woman’s loved ones. He thanked first responders and all the people tackling this emergency.
“To everyone in Nova Scotia, please continue to take care of yourselves and each other and follow the advice of local authorities,” he wrote.
Prime Minister Mark Carney also said in a social media post that his thoughts were with all affected. He said they are talking to the provincial government and “remain ready to provide any support needed.”
Over the past few years, several have died during floods in the province.
In 2023, four died, including two children, during a flood in West Hants. In 2024, a youth died after getting swept away in water at a park in Wolfville.
Stay off the roads
Kim Masland, Minister of Emergency Management, says the “tragic loss really, really underscores why we are asking people to stay off the roads unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
She adds that it is difficult to put a timeline on how long it may take to get the roads fixed because more roads could still fail with the damage done below them.
“We need to make sure that our infrastructure is clear and people are off the roads, so that we can have our crews out there assessing the damage.”
Worst of the rain over
Some of the rain plaguing the region has eased up.
Environment Canada has shifted the rain warnings now to just Victoria County, as well as the Sydney Metro and Cape Breton County areas.
However, there will likely be more rain. That is what Environment Canada Meteorologist Samantha Roach told our newsroom Saturday.
She said the heaviest of the remaining rain will taper off Sunday morning, but showers will likely continue into Monday.
“The possibility exists that there could be some more flooding with the leftover rainfall,” says Roach.
She says we have had quite a bit of rain in the last few weeks, and the ground is already saturated from the rain overnight Friday, which means the ground cannot easily absorb what is left to come.
The region, including the Town of Port Hawkesbury, as well as the Inverness, Victoria and Richmond Counties, have declared a state of emergency.
Flooding still affecting roads
The Emergency Management Department says flooding is still affecting roads on Sunday, both in Cape Breton and in eastern mainland Nova Scotia.
They say you should stay put, but if you have to travel, check 511 for the latest closures, and never drive through floodwater.
Repairs beginning
As of Saturday night, about 50 roads in the region were closed because of the storm, whether because of washouts, downed trees, or other damage.
But staff began transitioning to repairs as well, now that the flood waters have receded.
Keith MacDonald, CAO of the Municipality of the County of Inverness, says they are working to connect with some people who are isolated in the next couple hours. He says there are two or three pockets of people who are trapped in the county on either side by damaged or flooded roads.
He says it will likely take weeks to recover from all the damage, maybe longer.
“It’s very important to continue to pay attention to weather events. This past occurrence was much more significant than predicted. People need to be ready for these types of weather challenges,” says MacDonald.
MLA Trevor Boudreau, who represents the Richmond riding, says he’s been happy with how well the emergency teams have been working together to respond.
“There’s lots to be done and everything won’t be fixed in a day, but certainly they’re working hard,” says Boudreau.
He says he is working with the area manager and the district director to check the worst hit areas and make sure that crews responding there have everything they need.
Supports available
As of 8 a.m., anyone in the region can call a central support line to report non-emergencies. That line will close at 8 p.m., but more hours will be announced as they are confirmed, according to the Town of Port Hawkesbury.
A comfort centre has been established, as well. You can visit St. George’s Channel Hall, the Riverdale Community Centre in Lower River Inhabitants.
D’Escousse Civic Improvement Hall has also been added as a comfort centre.
There you can charge devices, stay warm, and find support as the county works through this emergency.
Severe flooding and widespread damage have prompted a local state of emergency, evacuations and road closures.
About 50 roads are currently closed across parts of Richmond County, Inverness and Victoria Counties, according to the latest statement from the Town of Port Hawkesbury.
They say staff are now transitioning to repairs where they can, including driveways and washed-out road shoulders.
Officials are also “monitoring conditions and maintaining operations on backup power at Landrie Lake and the Water Treatment Plant.”
The Emergency Manage Department is advising everyone to stay off the roads unless travel is essential for health, safety or emergency purposes.
A post on social media says, “Do not drive through flood waters or around barricades.”
Residents should continue to monitor social media, 511 for road closures, and official government sources for updates.
More rain coming
The flooding could still get worse, according to Environment Canada operational Meteorologist Samantha Roach.
Their preliminary totals from the official monitoring station in Port Hawkesbury show 118mm has already fallen as of Saturday afternoon.
Other unofficial measuring sources, like data collected in some people’s backyards and sent to Environment Canada, show even more than that in other parts of Cape Breton: 219mm at St. George’s Channel; 178.6mm in Boisdale Hills; 230.1mm in Sampsonville.
More rain will continue into Sunday morning, but then it will taper off, and there should just be some showers after that, says Roach.
Overall, another 40 to 60mm could fall in that time. That is why there are still orange level weather warnings in place, says Roach.
“The possibility exists that there could be some more flooding with the leftover rainfall,” says Roach.
She says we have had quite a bit of rain in the last few weeks, and the ground is already saturated from the rain overnight Friday, which means the ground cannot easily absorb what is left to come.
“Stay inside and delay any travel, if you can. Obviously, if there’s any water on the roads, please do not try to drive through it, and just stay safe.”
Premier Tim Houston visits Command Centre
A command centre was set up at 10:30 in the morning at the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre, with the Regional Emergency Management Organization involved, alongside provincial and municipal staff, Nova Scotia Power, and EHS. Additional EHS units have also been deployed to the area.
The Premier spent time with Richmond MLA Trevor Boudreau and other officials on Saturday at the centre, discussing the extensive damage across Cape Breton.
Crews are continuing to assess damage, but the full extent won’t be known until floodwaters recede and the rain stops falling.
“We stand ready to deploy the Nova Scotia Guard when it is determined how they can best help. Thank you to members who have already reached out ready to assist. Once this storm has passed, we will pull crews and equipment where needed from other areas of the province to repair roads and infrastructure as fast as we can,” Houston stated in a social media post.
He added that he remains in regular contact with officials across Cape Breton, the Minister of Emergency Management, and the Minister of Public Works.
Supports available
A comfort centre has been established, as well. You can visit St. George’s Channel Hall, the Riverdale Community Centre in Lower River Inhabitants.
D’Escousse Civic Improvement Hall has also been added as a comfort centre.
There you can charge devices, stay warm, and find support as the county works through this emergency.
Starting Sunday morning at 8 a.m., there will be a support line available for residents to have a central point of contact where they can report non-emergency issues and concerns related to the situation. It will close at 8 p.m., according to a joint statement for Western Cape Breton.
Anyone in the Inverness, Victoria and Richmond Counties, or the Town of Port Hawkesbury, can use the line. If no one picks up, leave a voicemail and a municipal representative will call back.
Emergencies should still be reported with 911.
More hours of operation will be announced when confirmed, the town says.
In the photo on the left, rain water has flooded Highway 104 near mile marker 296 between Lower River and Louisdale. The photo on the right shows another part of Highway 104 in Louisdale. PHOTO: SUBMITTED
Road Closures
Emergency Management says in a social media post that conditions can change quickly. Your best bet is to stay off the roads, but if you have to travel, call 511 and check on the road conditions.
Never drive through flood-covered roads and turn around if you run into any dangerous spots or washouts.
In a social media post, MLA Greg Morrow says crews will attempt to get traffic moving again on Highway 344 in Steep Creek on Sunday morning by installing a new culvert. After that, he says they will try and move to Sand Point and Carr Road to repair that area.
Prince Street in Port Hawkesbury, between MacSween and Embree, is closed to let Nova Scotia Power crews remove a tree. And Sydeny Road in the town is also closed between Granville Street and Bernard because of asphalt damage.
Part of Highway 104 from Basin Road to Sporting MTN, between exit 45 and 47, is closed as well. That is a large part of the highway made inaccessible because of flooding.
Other washouts, according to MLA Trevor Boudreau, include:
Flooding on HWY-104 from HWY-320 (km 303) to HWY-4 (km 313). All lanes closed.
Richmond Co: Highway 104 at Exit 46 to Thibeauville (DM 303-313) is closed to all traffic due to flooding until further notice. Please avoid area.
Richmond County: Please be advised that Matthews Rd is closed due to a washout.
Richmond County: Please be advised that Morrison Rd and Oban Rd in Oban are closed due to flooding and washouts in the area.
Flooding on HWY-4 Both Directions Near Northside River Bourgeois Rd (km 319). All lanes closed.
Closure on Big Brook Rd Both Directions Near Murray Rd. All lanes closed.
Road Closure on Orangedale Rd Both Directions Near Ferguson Point Rd (km 44). All lanes closed.
Road Closure on Orangedale Rd Both Directions Near Cameron Rd. All lanes closed.
Englishtown, Service Suspended (weather).
Little Narrows, Service Suspended (weather).
Road Closure on W Bay Rd Both Directions Near Hedgerow Ln. All lanes closed.
Road Closure on HWY-223 Both Directions from Bras D’Or Lake (km 58) to Grand Narrows Dr. All lanes closed.
Power outages
Over 5,000 residents in Port Hawkesbury and surrounding areas had lost power at the peak of the power outages on Saturday morning.
As of about 7 p.m., many of those outages have been restored. But some scattered outages are still being reported in the Quad counties.
Some Richmond County residents left isolated due to flooding and washouts
Residents in parts of Richmond County remain cut off by multiple road washouts following heavy rainfall, with some unable to travel in either direction from their homes.
Wendy Abbott says she and her neighbours cannot leave the area by vehicle because roads on both sides of them have been washed out.
“We can get out of the yard, but we can’t drive down the road,” Abbott told our newsroom.
She says three washouts were found in the area, including one on the St. Peter’s side of the community, and another reported near the Luxury Domes property.
Abbott, who manages the Bras d’Or Lakes Inn in St. Peter’s, says the situation is very frustrating.
“Today, we have a wedding at work, so I’m a little on the stressed side,” she said. “I have full confidence in the staff that I have there that are going to carry it out, but I would have liked to be there.”
Some employees were able to reach the inn by taking lengthy detours through River Bourgeois, where Abbott says there have also been reports of washouts and damaged roadways.
Despite the transportation challenges, Abbott says luckily her home still has power, and they have access to a generator if needed.
For now, she says her family has enough groceries and supplies to get by.
“We’re lucky. We have lots of groceries and the staples, milk and bread,” Abbott said.
She added that many neighbours appear to be in a similar position as they wait for crews to repair the damaged roads and restore access to the area.
Flooding NS (September 2026) IMAGE: Wendy Owens-Abbott with permissionFlooding NS (September 2026) IMAGE: Wendy Owens-Abbott with permissionFlooding NS (September 2026) IMAGE: Wendy Owens-Abbott with permission
We’ve got heavy rainfall forecast for the days ahead.
Environment Canada has issued special weather statements for southern and northeastern New Brunswick.
This will impact areas including Moncton, Saint John, St. Stephen, Sussex, Kennebecasis Valley, Charlotte County and Grand Manan.
Rain is expected to start Thursday night and continue into Friday and possibly Saturday…
This is the result of a developing and slow-moving weather system with tropical moisture that could create heavy downpours with rainfall rates of 10 to 20 millimetres per hour for some locations.
Environment Canada says there is the potential for thunderstorms with this system as well.
Everyone should be prepared to take cover if necessary.
More than 100 homes were impacted by a flash flood in Eskasoni First Nation due to heavy rain across the region.
Eskasoni L’nue’kati says crews spent most of Sunday night clearing debris from storm drains and assessing damaged caused by the flooding.
Crews are continuing to respond to house calls throughout the community, noting that it’s important for residents to properly document all damages by taking photos and videos, which can be sent directly to Eskasoni’s Housing Department crew via text or email.
Housing Contacts:
Ben Johnson — 902-565-4863 | benjohnson@eskasoni.ca
Environment Canada says rainfall warnings are in place for some large parts of the province, including parts of Colchester, Cumberland, Halifax, and Hants counties.
From early Sunday morning through Monday afternoon, we could see between 50 to 75 mm of rain in those areas. Rainfall rates could reach 15 to 25 mm an hour, and localized flooding is possible.
Special weather statements say the rest of the mainland will still get rain, but it will not be so bad.
Over in Inverness County, there are some wind warnings. They say it should run from Sunday afternoon to early Monday morning, with gusts reaching up to 90 km/h from Margaree Harbour to Bay St. Lawrence.
Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement with the potential of floods for most of mainland Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island.
According to a statement from Kim Masland, Minister of Emergency Management, modelling projects anywhere from 40 to 100 mm in some locations, with a possibility of higher volumes during thundershowers.
Localized flooding and road disruptions are a possibility according to Masland’s statement, and she said that resident should avoid unnecessary travel during periods of intense rainfall.
Environment Canada says the heaviest rain is expected on Wednesday morning and afternoon, but that another round of heavy rain is possible on Thursday morning.
Currently, rainfall warnings have been issued for southern parts of the province, but Environment Canada said they may need to expand the warnings as their confidence in the forecast increases.
This rain could bring some welcome relief to Nova Scotia’s wildfires.
In an interview with Acadia News, the Director of Fleet and Forest Protection for the Department of Natural Resources, Jim Rudderham, said significant rainfall can make a difference when fighting wildfires.
“The weather can be our friend or our enemy,” said Rudderham. “With this rain that’s forecasted it’s going to become our friend. Models are looking very good that the whole province will get at least some rain… that’s extremely good.”
Despite the optimistic forecast, Rudderham said they won’t change their plans or the intensity of their current response based on the forecast, but will reevaluate once the rain actually hits the ground.
“If we find out tomorrow we have an inch of rain down on the ground, that’ll change our alerts for the next day for sure,” said Rudderham. “That could change burn restrictions, we will not be stationing helicopters and planes on alert, that kind of thing.”
So far this year, Nova Scotia has seen more than 100 reported wildfires, more than twice as many over the same time last year according to Minister of Natural Resources Tony Rushton.
Drier conditions are helping to increase the likelihood of fires, and although upcoming rain could help, Rudderham said the situation could still change quickly.
“There was one time during the fires at Long Lake where one night we received 10mm of rain, it wasn’t a lot of rain, but it certainly helped,” said Rudderham. “But right away it started to get hot and dry again, so it was only good for a couple days. If we get a lot of rain, say 25mm… and the weather patterns the few days after are not crazy warm and hot and dry, that’ll last us a good week, week and a half, maybe even longer.”
He said he encourages people across the province to reconsider if having a fire is necessary, even when fire bans are lifted, and to always practice safe fire habits.
There may be some relief for the wildland fire situation in northwestern Ontario on its way.
Rain is in the forecast.
Environment Canada is monitoring two separate systems.
One is expected to drop some moisture over the next few days in areas in the southern portions of the region.
Environment Canada Meteorologist Kate Leclerc says a larger system expected on the weekend could bring much more moisture.
“It could change, but there’s a potential low-pressure system arriving Sunday afternoon or evening, and that would be a bit more widespread, and could bring a bit more relief to those forest fires,” says Leclerc.
The amount of rainfall to fall is uncertain.
Leclerc says there is also the possibility of the system including thunderstorms and lightning.
“Hopefully, even if there’s a bit of thunderstorm activity, there may still be enough rain to kind of tamp it out,” says Leclerc.
The Ministry of Natural Resources notes that many of the wildland fires in northwestern Ontario were the result of lightning strikes from previous storms that ignited from the recent hot, dry and windy weather.
