The wind is building in Cornwall and should reach peak intensity by morning. Meanwhile power is flickering in parts of the city, including the Riverdale area.
The remnants of Hurricane Sandy have begun to batter eastern Ontario and will continue into Tuesday with sustained winds of around 60 km/h with gusts that could reach between 90 and 100 said Environment Canada weather service specialist Etienne Gregoire in an interview.
City hall has issued a release saying that its community control group - which is tasked with co-ordinating responses to local emergencies - is on the alert for potential problems. The city is also co-ordinating with Cornwall Electric to address power outages, should they occur.
“We are taking these steps as a precaution to ensure we are ready to react should a significant issue arise,” said Bradley Nuttley, the city's emergency management and community safety co-ordinator.
City hall wants residents to ensure loose items on their property have been secured and nearby storm drains have been swept clear of leaves and other debris.
Environment Canada said while rain is still forecast to drench the Cornwall area and make Halloween generally miserable, the earlier forecasts of as much as 100 mm of rain remain shelved for the time being.
Gregoire said meteorologists are now suggesting that the storm will track inland from the New Jersey area and stall over southern Pennsylvania - instead of the northern part of that state as was initially thought.
"The 50 to 100 mm of rain is now going to stay in New York State," said Gregoire. But he was quick to add the rain will pile up locally and the forecast could change at a moment's notice.
And let's not foreget the wind gusts.
"We won't be spared the wind," said Gregoire, who cautioned homeowners to collect anything that isn't bolted down in their yards - lest it become a projectile. Power outage are likely as trees will undoubtedly see limbs broken or entire trunks snapped. The wind will be out of the east, northeast.
Mike Pescod, the regional manager at Cornwall Electric, said the utlity is planning for outages, should they occur locally.
"We're preparing for this storm like we would any other," said, adding generators and trucks are being fueled for use and extra crews will be called in if they are required.
Cornwall Electric has completed its tree-trimming regimen for the year and Pescod said that should help mitigate outages in the event limbs come down.
However, if an entire tree snaps, outages could occur, he said, depending on their locale.
Gregoire said Halloween will be a wash - pardon the pun.
"This thing will be with us for the bulk of the week," he said, adding rain will be falling here until at least Thursday.
Check back often for more updates.
