Come On Irene

Hurricane Irene set to visit the Island

Ryan Quigley

Journal Pioneer

SUMMERSIDE- Hurricane Irene is making its way up the Eastern Seaboard, approaching the Maritimes.

As of Wednesday afternoon the storm was in the Caribbean, gathering strength as a category three hurricane, which is Major Hurricane Status with maximum winds at 195 km/h according the Canadian Hurricane Centre meteorologist Bob Robichaud.

Robichaud said, if the storm remains on the water it could be more devastating when it arrives versus if it made its way into the Eastern U.S. before arriving in the Maritimes as hurricanes lose energy quicker on land than on water.

“If things keep going on their current track, it would probably be more of a wind type event for the Island,” he said. “The storm is coming this way and it’s a more wait and see what it does in the U.S.”

“We’ll have a much better idea of it Saturday and Sunday for sure,” he added.

The storm is not believed to make its way to P.E.I. until Monday morning, but too arrive earlier is not out of the realm of possibility, said Robichaud.

“Sunday would be pretty early, at least that’s how it’s looking now. It would have to accelerate pretty quick to get there Sunday,” he said. “It’s pretty unlikely.”

For the Atlantic Air Show, which is happening this weekend, the Hurricane is on their radar but not a worry at this point.

“No matter what happens, the first thing we’re going to do is make sure our fans, our performers and our volunteers are safe. If we have to close down our show because of weather then we will,” said Atlantic Canada International Air Show Executive Director Colin Stephenson. “If it’s not a dangerous situation then we’re going to open both days, rain or shine.”

For the air show to cancel, there would have to be only a 3,000-foot air ceiling, the height a pilot can fly, and that decision would be made the day of the event, said Stephenson.

“If you get cloud and it’s high, we do the whole show. If you get cloud and it’s low, you do a different type of show. If it gets too low then you can’t fly,” he said. “Nine times out of 10 in an overcast sky we’re flying. It doesn’t need to be a blue clear sky.”

Even if there is no flights that day, Stephenson said the show will still be open so people can see inside planes, talk to pilots, tank demonstrations and an army ride.

“If the rain is coming in sideways and the tents end up in Newfoundland then we’ll probably shut her down. But we’re a long way from that right now.”