Archived: Post-tropical Storm Ike Brief Storm Summary (2008)
Storm
After wreaking destruction in Haiti and Cuba, large Category 2 Hurricane Ike made landfall in the early morning hours of Saturday, September 13, at Galveston, Texas. The remnant hurricane exited into the Atlantic 72 hours later, after weakening to a still-potent post-tropical storm as it accelerated through Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada.
Conditions
Post-tropical Storm Ike brought record-breaking rainfalls to some localities in eastern Canada, as well as storm-force winds gusting to more than 100 km/h. Maximum rainfalls of more than 60 mm were reported in Ontario, Quebec and Labrador as Post-tropical Storm Ike tracked east-northeastward. Numerous locations reported rainfalls of 50 mm or greater in less than six hours. The heavy rain passed north of the Maritimes.
| Peak Provincial Wind Gusts (km/h) | Peak Provincial Rainfall (mm) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Gusts | Location | Rain |
| Port Colborne, ON. | 106
|
Wilder Lake, ON. | 77
|
| Wreckhouse, NL. | 98
|
Bagotville, QC. | 73
|
| Cap-Madeleine, QC. | 85
|
Cartwright, NL. | 66
|
| Mechanic Settlement, N.B. | 78
|
Gagetown, N.B. | 37
|
| St. Paul Island, N.S. | 74
|
- | - |
| East point, P.E.I. | 67
|
- | - |
Impacts
The strong winds resulted in downed trees and power outages in the heavier population areas of southern Ontario and along the St. Lawrence River in Quebec. An unrelated heavy rain event the day before in Ontario created a dangerous potential for flooding. Fortunately the two events did not overlap, and the weekend rain maximum was limited to 125 mm at Curunna and 115 mm at Goderich, Ontario.
Warnings
Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC) staff across eastern Canada issued timely and accurate weather warnings in advance of this storm system.
Coordination and communication effort
The scale and nature of this post-tropical storm demanded a well-coordinated, all-hands-on-deck approach by all MSC weather services in Ontario and points east. From September 11 to 15 the Canadian Hurricane Centre was involved in continual consultations with the Storm Prediction Centres in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada; the Canadian Hurricane Centre; the Canadian Meteorological Centre; and Client Services and warning preparedness meteorologists throughout eastern Canada. Direct consultation and coordination also included Public Safety Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, and Ontario Conservation Authorities.