High winds disrupt travel, knock out power in HRM

Several flights are delayed or cancelled at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport as high winds continue to blow through the Halifax Regional Municipality Wednesday.

The airport is unable to use its secondary runway where a cargo plane had run off last week. Airport officials urged travellers to check their flight status before heading to the airport.

With the current high winds & due to the unavailability of our secondary runway given last week’s runway overrun, we’re experiencing some delays & cancellations. We encourage passengers to check their airline’s website as to their flight’s status before heading to the airport

— Halifax Stanfield (@HfxStanfield) November 14, 2018

Environment Canada has been warning Nova Scotians of high, northwesterly winds since Tuesday night. There are gusts between 90 and 100 km/h in some areas.

The wind caused a few power outages in HRM, including one that left about 4,000 homes and businesses in the Bedford area without power Wednesday morning. Power was reconnected by 1 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Nova Scotia Power outage map.

MacKay Bridge is closed to heavy and high-sided vehicles. A trailer was flipped on its side on the bridge Wednesday morning due to high winds. The trailer has since been removed. In a tweet, Halifax Harbour Bridges urged people to “drive with care.”

#MacKayBridge – Dartmouth to Halifax (Activity): Traffic conditions, reduce speed, Dartmouth bound medium volumes, Halifax bound medium volumes, high winds, drive with care, Lane 13 closed Halifax Bound-speed reduction to 50 km/h. Closed to Heavy and High sided vehicles

— HHB (@HHBridges) November 14, 2018

Environment Canada expects the winds to slowly diminish late Wednesday afternoon or evening.