Heavy rain expected as Elsa passes P.E.I.

P.E.I. should brace for heavy rain overnight Friday as Elsa passes over the province as apost-tropical storm.

Environment Canada had issued rainfall warnings for all three P.E.I. counties on Friday.

Early Friday afternoon, Elsa was still a tropical storm off the coast of New England. The centre of Elsa wasexpected to pass over West Prince around 3 a.m. Saturday as a post-tropical storm.

"Heavy rain has already fallen ahead of an approaching frontal system and Elsa will add to these totals tonight," said CBC meteorologist Jay Scotland on Friday afternoon.

"This is a good reminder early in the hurricane season to make sure that our storm drains are clear, sump pumps are working and that loose objects around our homes are secure."

Between30to 50 millimetre of rain was expected to fall, especially in western areas.

Thunderstorms were also possible in advance of the storm and as it passes, and more rain waspossible where those strike.

Winds were expected topeak after midnight, blowing at 40 km/h with gusts to 60.

Watch for flooding

Provincial emergency management co-ordinator Tanya Mullally expectedthestorm to be relatively mild, but said there were still precautions to be taken.

"I'd be really focusing on the rainfall," said Mullally.

"Any areas that might be susceptible to that flooding I think I'd be keeping a close eye, maybe taking precautions to remove any property that might get damaged."

People should also survey their properties for anything that might blow around in the wind, she said.

Peter Meijer, operations manager at VanKampen's Greenhouses in Charlottetown, said staff weresecuring what they could on Friday and recommended homeowners do the same with planters and hanging baskets.

"You could spend a couple hundred dollars on planters around your home, why take any risk when it's just that easy to move them in, closer to the house?" saidMeijer on Friday.

"A lot of things can get slightly damaged. But why see even a little bit of damage when you could just take those two minutes and really shore them up."

Showers were expected to continue through the morning Saturday with winds remaining high. Skies were expected tostart to clear in the afternoon.

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