Hurricane Matthew: Monitor forecast closely, advises CBC meteorologist

As Hurricane Matthew hit land in Jamaica and Haiti Monday, claiming several lives and flooding streets, CBC meteorologistKalinMitchell reminded Maritime residents the storm's effects may not ever reach this far north.

• 'Some of us will die but I pray it won't be a lot': Hurricane Matthew nears Haiti, Jamaica

• Escaping from Hurricane Matthew

Matthew had sustained winds of 220 km/h as it moved north. The centre was expected to pass just east of Jamaica and near or over the southwestern tip of Haiti early Tuesday before heading to eastern Cuba, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

"We [the Maritimes] are outside the time of reasonable predictability for Hurricane Matthew at the moment," said Mitchell, who's based in Halifax.

The National Hurricane Center, which has the authority to forecast storms, only extends their forecast out five days, Mitchell notex.

'Too much uncertainty'

"At that point the storm is still only expected to be in the vicinity of the southeastern U.S.," Mitchell said.

"Beyond that time there is far too much uncertainty in weather prediction models to assess what, or any, impact the storm will have in Atlantic Canada."

Mitchell does advise people to "monitor their forecast closely this week and weekend as the storm continues to progress."

He also suggests this is a good time to review or develop an emergency plan in case of a weather event or power outage.

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