Flash freeze warning issued for most of mainland Nova Scotia

Environment Canada has issued a flash freeze warning for most of mainland Nova Scotia. Heavy rains are expected to give way to rapidly plunging temperatures Saturday.

The weather agency says temperatures will dip to around –10 C by this evening.

“Untreated surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways, and parking lots may become icy, slippery, and hazardous,” it said. “Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions.”

Flash freeze warnings are in effect for Colchester, Cumberland, Halifax, Hants, Lunenburg, Queens and Shelburne counties. Those counties also have rainfall warnings, with 25 to 50 millimetres of rain expected.

Environment Canada says the rain will end over western Nova Scotia this morning and later this afternoon on the eastern mainland and Cape Breton.

RCMP are alerting drivers to the likelihood of poor driving conditions.

Halifax Transit cancelled service at 1 p.m. because of the weather conditions. 

Municipal recreation facilities and libraries closed at noon.

Halifax Shopping Centre, Mic Mac Mall and Sunnyside Mall all closed at noon Saturday.

Erica Fleck, the director of emergency management for the HRM, said she had already received reports by early afternoon of freezing conditions and broken tree branches in some areas. Fleck said similar conditions were expected in the HRM later Saturday afternoon. 

“Once the ice starts freezing on lines and trees … that is really where we start to see issues,” Fleck said.

“We are very concerned about that icing portion of the of this weather event.”

Rainfall warnings

Antigonish, Guysborough, Inverness, Pictou, Richmond, Cape Breton and Victoria counties all have rainfall warnings.

Environment Canada warns that flooding is possible in low-lying areas.