Municipal Affairs
January 12, 2016

Public Advisory: Winter Storm Forecast for Newfoundland and Labrador

Fire and Emergency Services-Newfoundland and Labrador (FES-NL) encourages residents and communities to be prepared for a winter storm forecast to affect the province on Wednesday, January 13, and Thursday, January 14.

According to Environment Canada, a strong winter storm is expected to bring snow, mixed precipitation, rain and very strong winds to the province beginning Wednesday and continuing into Thursday. Winter storm warnings or watches have been issued for most of the island as well as coastal Labrador.

Residents in the Channel-Port aux Basques to Burgeo-Ramea area are also advised to be cautious around coastlines and waterways over the coming days as a combination of very large waves and pounding surf are expected to combine with a potential storm surge on Wednesday afternoon and evening. This may cause minor flooding and can potentially impact coastal infrastructure for any southeast-facing communities near the shoreline during the high tides on Wednesday.

Municipalities and local service districts should ensure infrastructure such as roads, ditches and drains are clear of debris and appropriate provisions are made for the delivery of services in the event the weather has a greater effect than anticipated.

Information regarding general emergency preparedness for residents is available at GetPrepared.ca . The Inclusive Emergency Planning Guide contains information for persons with disabilities.

Residents are reminded to follow the latest weather forecast for further alert bulletins and to take measures to ensure personal safety.

For more information about fire safety and emergency preparedness, visit the FES-NL website.

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Media contact:
Ryan Crocker
Media Relations Manager
Fire and Emergency Services-Newfoundland and Labrador
709-729-0857, 709-690-1810
ryancrocker@gov.nl.ca

2016 01 12                             5:05 p.m.