Storm surge warning issued for coastal areas of the province

Environment Canada has issued a storm surge warning for Saturday affecting much of the northern and southern parts of New Brunswick. 

It's expecting storm surge levels and large waves along the coast, with wind speeds up to 90 km/h.

Affected areas include the Acadian Peninsula, Bathurst and Chaleur Region, Campbellton and eastern half of Restigouche County, Grand Manan and Coastal Charlotte County, and the Saint John area.

Both St. Stephen and Saint Andrews have experienced some localized flooding. The Pizza Delight in St. Stephen had to close after it took on some water at high tide. 

"A lot of wind and mostly rain now, so we're just weathering that," said St. Stephen Mayor Allan MacEachern.

Environment Canada is advising people living in those areas to monitor weather conditions and be prepared to move to a safer location as needed. It says there could be coastal floating, local road washouts and minor infrastructure damage.

Normand Pelletier, mayor of Heron Bay, is crossing his fingers, hoping the weather isn't as bad as it was on Wednesday. 

"If we do get as high winds as we did Wednesday, we might get a little more damage," said Pelletier. 

Bay Ferries has cancelled ferries between Digby and Saint John.

Environment Canada is also expecting heavy wind in Grand Manan and the Acadian Peninsula. There's also a snowfall warning for Edmundston and Madawaska County, as well as the western half of Restigouche County. 

MacEachern says they are waiting for the next high tide at about 1 a.m..

"Hopefully, there's not too much more wind and rain by then," said MacEachern. "When you're dealing with that kind of water, you can't stop the tides, so you're more or less watching and reacting.... It's a tough situation to be in."