Weather | More than 44 millimetres of rain fell Friday, thousands without electricity

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By HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN
mclaughlin.heather@dailygleaner.com

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Inhospitable weather posed serious challenges to NB Power crews Friday as they raced to restore power to thousands of customers.

Enlarge Photo

STEPHEN MACGILLIVRAY PHOTO

SLISH SPLASH: The heavy rain the Fredericton area received on Friday built up on some roads after the ice and snow that came before it clogged the drains. Here a Department of Transport vehicle goes through a flooded are of the off ramp from the Princess Margaret Bridge on the northside of the river.

A combination of heavy rain and freezing temperatures led to power disruptions and flooding in the province Friday.

Power disruptions were affecting 10,855 customers by day's end Friday, with the highest number of interruptions in the Miramichi, Sussex and Rothesay areas.

"We're facing a number of struggles depending on where you are in the province," said NB Power spokeswoman Heather-Anne MacLean.

"We have basically seen every weather system go through the province today. From rain to freezing rain, snow, fog. Now, we are seeing strong winds emerging that are further complicating things,"

A buildup of snow and ice toppled trees onto power lines, MacLean said.

In the Saint John area, high winds were aggravating the problem, she said.

In Fredericton, 1,048 customers were without power, with another 616 people affected between Woodstock and Grand Falls.

"Our crews are fully deployed and we also have contractor crews to assist with restoration as well as tree trimming," MacLean said.

Environment Canada reported 3.6 centimetres of snow fell Thursday night and Friday morning in the Fredericton area, followed by a brief bout of freezing rain. A deluge of 41 millimetres of rain between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. followed.

All told by day's end, the city hit 44.5 mm of rain, instead of the 25 mm forecast.

Temperatures were expected to drop and flash-freeze the city today.

School was cancelled in districts 14, 17 and 18, as well as at francophone schools in the Fredericton area.

At Mazerolle Settlement, water was reported creeping up to the edge of that road and Nevers Road.

At Rusagonis, Sunpoke Lake Road and Sunpoke Road are closed to all but emergency vehicles due to water over the road.

In the city, the Princess Margaret Bridge underpass was passable, but water-laden.

Within the city, the battle to get as much water as possible off the streets was ongoing all day.

"We're out in full force with plows trying to get the slush off the road," said Brent Grant, acting manager of roads and streets for the City of Fredericton.

"We're chasing water all over the place."

He said the city's main storm sewer lines were open, but residents can always help themselves and the city by clearing off the surfaces of drains near their homes or notifying the city if they see they are becoming blocked.

Fisher Field behind the MacLaren Avenue fire station was underwater, as a culvert in that part of the north side couldn't handle the surcharge of water.

Grant said there were calls from parts of the city with complaints about flooded basements.

The ground is just so saturated with water due to all the rain in the area, he said, that water has nowhere to go.

"There's nothing the city can do about it," he said.