Hurricanes

Hurricanes

The hurricane season in Canada extends from June to November.  These storms can cause extensive damage to homes and infrastructure, not to mention putting people at risk.

The Canadian Hurricane Centre expects near normal levels of hurricane activity in the North Atlantic Ocean for the 2012 hurricane season which means anywhere from nine to 15 named storms. However the Centre reminds residents living in eastern Canada that it only takes one storm to make it a bad year.

Up-to-date information

Canadians can find up-to-date information on storms occurring in their area by following Environment Canada's hurricane bulletins on the internet from Weatheroffice, via e-mail subscription, on Weatheradio, or through the local media.

What to do:

Hurricane facts

  • A hurricane is a tropical storm whose winds revolve around a center of low pressure.
  • The centre is called the eye. In the eye of a hurricane there is a calm area of blue sky.
  • Around the eye there are very strong winds – a minimum speed of 120 kilometres per hour – accompanied by torrential rains.
  • Hurricanes cause more widespread damage than tornadoes because they are bigger – some as large as 1,000 kilometres across.
  • One of the most destructive effect of a hurricane is the storm surge, often causing serious flooding.

Provincial information

Provinces are responsible for dealing with emergencies such as hurricanes in cooperation with local authorities. In some cases, the federal government may be asked to assist.  Each province in Atlantic Canada has a website with information on the situation in their area.  Some of the sites include practical information on preparing yourself, your family and your home for a hurricane.

The Government of Canada's Government Operations Centre (GOC) monitors developing storms that might impact the Atlantic Provinces.  The GOC coordinates the federal government's response to events of national interest such as hurricanes that may affect the safety and security of Canadians or critical infrastructure.  Should municipal or provincial governments request federal assistance to deal with a hurricane then the GOC would coordinate that response.