The PEI Emergency Management Agency said Thursday that Level 2 is partially activated, meaning staff and other government departments are meeting more frequently to discuss hurricane preparations. Environment Canada has updated its special weather statement in relation to the storm. The center of the forecast track currently has Fiona making landfall somewhere around the Strait of Canso. “It’s expected to hit hurricane strength, Category 1 or possibly Category 2, before targeting the Gulf of St. Lawrence,” CBC meteorologist Tina Simpkin said. “As it stands PEI is not going to escape Fiona’s wrath.” Heavy rain will begin late Friday and the storm will continue through most of Saturday. Fiona’s forecast track has been moving west over the past two days, making its impact on the region stronger than predicted earlier this week. Fiona is expected to merge with a low pressure system as it hits the Maritimes and become a post-tropical storm. But like Dorian, which was also downgraded when it hit PEI, the effects could still be devastating. These impacts will include strong winds, heavy rainfall and coastal flooding with storm surge and very high waves. The PEI government is warning that Fiona’s impact could be comparable to Hurricane Juan in 2003. “Our window is definitely closing for preparedness,” said Tanya Mulally, deputy director of public safety for the province. “People should be looking out their windows, looking at their property and checking to make sure anything that could become airborne should be contained, taken in, whatever you can do.” Insuring these items will help prevent storm damage. With the size of this storm, even if the track changes at some point at this point, islanders could experience significant impacts from end to end, Mullally said.
