special weather statement in effect A fall storm featuring strong winds is expected. Locations: St. John's, Avalon Peninsula North, and the Clarenville area. Time span: Saturday morning until Saturday night. Potential wind gusts: northwesterly 70 to 100 km/h, with the strongest gusts along the coast and locally higher gusts possible. Similar storms in the past have caused: - disruptions to ferry services - tree and minor property damage - scattered utility outages Remarks: A weather system is forecast to rapidly intensify off the northeast coast of Newfoundland on Saturday, bringing a period of strong west to northwesterly winds to the region. Loose objects may be tossed or damaged by the wind. Secure or bring indoors loose items such as seasonal outdoor furniture before the strongest winds arrive. Fully leafed trees are more vulnerable to wind damage at this time of year than during the winter season. Consider having flashlights and batteries on hand in case of a utility outage. ### Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to NLstorm@ec.gc.ca or post reports on social media using #NLwx.