Hurricane Juan 2003, Nova Scotia Canada
A Rare and Destructive Storm in the Atlantic Maritime Provinces
Oct 2, 2008
Juan was first detected off the coast of Africa on September 14th , 2003 when it showed up on satellite as an area of low pressure. It moved westward across the Atlantic Ocean and remained as a disorganized weather front.
After meeting a low pressure weather front near Bermuda, this storm escalated to a tropical depression status and was temporarily named Tropical Depression Fifteen. The storm continued on a northwestern path.
Juan Becomes a Hurricane
On September 25th, the storm increased in intensity and was named Tropical Storm Juan. The following day, Juan developed the characteristic hurricane eye and convection occurred within the storm. On September 26th, 2003, Juan was declared a hurricane when it was 165 miles from Bermuda. Hurricane Juan strengthened as it crossed over the warm water where its winds hit a maximum intensity of 105 mph.
Hurricane Juan Heads Northward to Canada
The maximum intensity of Juan remained steady for the next 24 hours but then it weakened slightly by September 28th, 2003. Hurricane Juan took a turn northward and bypassed the East Coast of the U.S. and quickly headed directly for Nova Scotia, Canada.
On September 29th, 2003, Hurricane Juan made landfall at 12:10 am between Shad Bay and Prospect (near Halifax) as a Category 2 hurricane. Juan crossed over Nova Scotia and weakened to a tropical storm as it hit Prince Edward Island a few hours later.
Environment Canada Weather Office reported, “The highest sustained winds (2-minute mean) recorded by a land station were 151 km/h at McNab's Island, in Halifax Harbour, with gusts to 176 km/h at 12:24 a.m. ADT. The maximum wind core (eastern eyewall) went right over Halifax Harbour”.
Damage Caused by Hurricane Juan
Eight people lost their lives. Two fishermen near Anticosti Island were killed and two people died when trees fell on their car. Three people perished in a house fire which was most likely caused by using candles during the power outage. The eighth death was a relief worker who was helping with the clean-up a few weeks after Hurricane Juan hit.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Halifax harbour experienced a record-breaking water level of 4.9 feet above the normal tide level. This caused flooding along the shoreline of Dartmouth and Halifax.
There were extensive power outages in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Some communities waited over two weeks for the restoration of service. Service people from other provinces were called in to help.
High winds blew down trees and damaged buildings. In fact, the building where the Canadian Hurricane Center is situated, experienced wind damage. Boats were capsized or carried from their moorings due to wind and floods.
In a report by CBC Canada, “approximately 70 per cent of the trees in Halifax's 186-acre Point Pleasant Park were destroyed. In 90 minutes, the storm knocked over as many trees in that one park as the Nova Scotia logging industry cuts down in a year. A year after the storm, provincial officials estimated the cleanup costs at $150 million, and still climbing”.
Juan was the second hurricane to hit Halifax. In August 22, 1893, the eyewall of a Category 3 hurricane, known as the ‘the second Great August Gale” killed 25 people and sank two ships.
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