A severe rainstorm has begun to move over southwestern Newfoundland, with meteorologists expecting it to be an "unprecedented" weather event.

Veronica Sullivan from the Canadian Environment Ministry's Weather Office in Gander said.

"I don't think we will see a bad impact like what happened in British Columbia, but the situation needs monitoring and will break previous records."

Sullivan said the Port aux Basques area can expect 150 to 200 mm of rain on Tuesday, and in high terrain areas, more than 300 mm is expected.

Some weather forecasts indicate that total rainfall could reach 400 mm in elevated areas, and while the actual rainfall may be much less, water will flow down from mountainous areas and could significantly affect water levels below.

It is very likely that there will be some drifts and localized flooding.

Winds in the Wreckhouse area are expected to reach speeds of 150 km/h throughout Tuesday and 160 km/h at night. Winds are expected to decrease overnight but are expected to ease by Wednesday morning.

Sullivan said strong winds will not be unique to Wreckhouse. She said the entire west coast of the island will feel strong gusts.

Preparing for the storm

Brian Patton, Mayor of Port aux Basques, said the storm will require a lot of work and sent an email to council members.

Town workers were inspecting stormwater drains and potential impact areas. Patton said the municipality also checked fire and police services to ensure everyone was prepared.

Patton said low-lying areas throughout Port aux Basques are the biggest concern, but the strong winds and massive rainfall on the way put the entire town under watch.

Five schools in western Newfoundland were closed in the morning in anticipation of the storm. The Labrador English School and the College of the North Atlantic campus in Port aux Basques were also closed in the morning.

Edited by: Dima Abu Khair