Impact of Hurricane Juan on woodlands and parks of central Nova Scotia

 

Hurricane JuanHurricane Juan, damaged the woodlands in the central portion of the province. The hurricane caused significant damage to standing timber on both Crown and private holdings throughout the region. Several flights over the central part of the province were made in order to evaluate the damage imposed by the hurricane. The damage occurrence was less severe 40 - 50 km east of the track.

The Storm's Track

The Category 2 hurricane hit the Nova Scotia coastline just after midnight September 29, 2003 with sustained winds of 158 kmph and sustained gusts of 185 kmph. As it moved northward, across the mainland to the Bay of Fundy, windspeeds diminished to 130 kmph and by the time it had reached the Northumberland Strait windspeeds were down to 120 kmph. Highest sustained wind speeds at a land station were recorded at McNabs Island 151 kmph with gusts to 176 kmph. (abridged from Environment Canada. )

The severest hurricane damage occurred east of the eye, where what has been described as "wind bombs" completely flattened sections of forest. Most of the damage appears to have occurred within a 35 km swathe east of the storm's eye with the area of greatest impact extending northward from Shad Bay, on the west and Clam Harbour on the east. ...Images

Historical Perspectives

Woodlands Shaped by Past Hurricanes - Forest Times 1979

Storms and Salvage - repring 1986

 

Juan Track