Islanders prepare for storm after seeing fellow Maritimers go days without power

Islanders are preparing for an expected storm and strong winds Thursday night, after seeing New Brunswick get hit hard with weather in the past few weeksand people go days without power.

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Environment Canada is calling for snowfall of around 20 cm, with winds of up to 100 km/hearly Friday morning. A storm surge warning is in effect in Kings County.

Ashley Tibbo said seeing what happened in N.B. motivated her to make sure she had groceries as some places may not be open tomorrow.

"It was pretty crazy just to see they were for days without power so I hope it doesn't happen to us, but we'll prepare," said Tibbo. "It was just so close by so it totally can happen here because the storms in the Maritimes are just really crazy."

• Have a look at this week's wild temperature swings

She plans to stay in tomorrow to watch Netflix and drink hot chocolate.

Filling the bathtub with water

It was just so close by so it totally can happen here because the storms in the Maritimes are just really crazy.AshleyTibbo

Rhonda Leard and David Laybolt from Marshfield, P.E.I., came into Charlottetown for groceries and to buy a shovel for the expected about 30 centimetres of snow.

They said seeing what happened in N.B. "definitely" made them more inclined to prepare. They've filled up the bathtub with extra water in case.

"You just never know, you know when anything like that could happen and you should always be prepared," said Leard.

Good neighbours important

Audrey MacDonald and Ronald MacLeod, from West Point are also filling buckets up with water, but feel prepared with good neighbours and their fire department. They have their generator ready and food for at least a week.

"We're just across the strait from Caraquet, [N.B] so we were quite lucky at West Point that we didn't get the freezing rain," said MacDonald.

Something 'to be prepared for'

Paul Tymstra said he loves a good storm, but what's happened to the Island's neighbours has absolutely made him aware about getting prepared with groceries over the last couple of days and he already has a generator if the power goes out.

"With all the branches that came down with them and the ice, it is something to be concerned about and to be prepared for," said Tymstra.

'I don't want to get caught like that again'

Shelly MacDonald from Rice Point was out getting supplies Thursday. She went without power earlier this winter for 14 hours after a storm here.

"I don't want to get caught like that again, especially with having no power during the night," said MacDonald.

Now MacDonald has a generator. She was also buying lanterns, as candles can be a safety hazard if left unattended.

Stocking up

Alyshia Doucette from Brookvale is prepared now too because of previous experiences with Island weather. She's filling her tub with water because last year she had to flush her toilet with water from the fish tank. Thursday she was stocking up on groceries and has a wood stove in case the power goes out.

A getaway plan

Larry Chen and his wife Shelley Hueng moved to P.E.I. from China about three years ago. They were out shopping Thursday with their son Leo Chen, and have already stocked up with lots of food and warm clothes. They've also checked their fireplace and heating system before the storm arrives.

They're planning a warm vacation next year, to get away from the cold.

Checking the forecast

Jojo Liu and her father Cai Liu moved here five months ago from China and have never seen such large piles of snow or such swings in temperatures.

"I looked, the storm is very terrible so we need to do some things to prepare," said Jojo Liu.

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