Archived: Post-tropical Storm Cristobal Brief Storm Summary (2008)

Storm

On July 18, Atlantic Tropical Depression #3 formed off the South Carolina coast. Within 24 hours it strengthened to become Tropical Storm Cristobal and tracked northeast. By July 22 Cristobal entered southwestern Maritime waters as a strong but small gale system, with winds of over 90 km/h. The storm centre remained south of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, exiting southeastern Newfoundland waters just after midnight on the morning of July 24.

Conditions

While the centre of Cristobal was still more than a day away from the Maritimes rainfall moved out well ahead of it to become enhanced by a stalled frontal system over Nova Scotia. The result was intense rainfalls with the highest accumulations confined to the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia. Even with the Halifax Regional Municipality there was a great range in the rainfall--from as low as 16 mm inland at Stanfield International Airport to as high as 145 mm at the coast at Sambro. Strong winds remained offshore and were confined to a tight core around the storm with only one report of gales coming from the East Scotian Slope NOMAD buoy, which reported a peak wind of 93 km/h. Following that report the buoy stopped reporting, implying that it sustained some damage from the storm.

A map of rainfall is shown along with select reports of peak accumulations.

Top rain reports from Nova Scotia

• Baccaro Point – 165 mm
• Cape Sable Island – 153 mm
• Sambro – 145 mm
• Spanish Ship Bay – 130 mm
• Western Head – 95 mm

Impacts

There were widespread public and media reports of road washouts and flooded basements from along the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia. The Canadian Hurricane Centre also provided weather information to the Canadian Coast Guard in a successful rescue operation when a small yacht capsized near the track of the storm.

Warnings

Environment Canada’s Storm Prediction Centre in the Atlantic region issued gale and storm warnings for southern offshore waters more than a day in advance of the storm’s passage. Warnings of heavy rain in Nova Scotia were issued more than 24 hours in advance and possible rainfalls of over 100 mm rainfalls were flagged more than 12 hours in advance.

Coordination and communication effort

Environment Canada provided timely weather warnings to Canadians and also support to emergency planners before the event. More than 40 media interviews were conducted by weather centre staff in association with this event. Over the July 20-22 period the CHC was involved in continual consultations with the U.S. National Hurricane Center, the Atlantic Storm Prediction Centre, the Newfoundland and Labrador Weather Office, and Environment Canada’s client services and warning preparedness meteorologists in Nova Scotia. Direct consultation and coordination also included the Emergency Measures Organization in Nova Scotia.