High winds could cause power outages on Christmas Day

Planning to cook a turkey on Christmas Day? A backup plan might be in order.

The forecast is calling for temperatures into the low teens in Nova Scotia, but also high winds that could cause power outages late in the day.

"The later we get into the afternoon the higher the wind gusts are going to be," said CBC meteorologist Tina Simpkin. "We could see wind gusts from 60 to 80 kilometres per hour with higher gusts possible along the coast."

Nova Scotia Power says it is monitoring the forecast.

"Our preparations for this storm are no different than they are for any other storm," said spokesperson Stacy O'Rourke. "We'll have our crews ready to respond if needed so we can ensure minimal disruption to our customers."

CBC meteorologist Ryan Snoddon said it appears peak gusts, which are most likely cause outages, will move from west to east during the afternoon, evening and into overnight.

For those planning to Zoom or Skype with families and friends, he said earlier in the day looks to be a safer bet. It might also be wise to put the turkey in the oven in the morning.

While it will be windy on Christmas, it is also expected to be warm. Highs of 10-15 C are expected across the Maritimes.

But the mild temperatures will end quickly.

"We'll be going from potential record-breaking warmth for Christmas Day and into Boxing Day morning to falling temperatures that afternoon with a lot of rain and wind changing over to snow," said Simpkin. "Anything that is wet could possibly freeze really quickly on Boxing Day."

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