Eastern Canada storm to impact Maritimes with high winds Thursday

Temperatures remain chilly Monday Mix of sun and cloud, and below freezing temperatures forecast for Maritimes Monday.

An area of low pressure is forecast to develop into a strong storm as it moves from the northeastern U.S. into the St. Lawrence River Valley late Wednesday into Thursday. Caught between that storm to the west and high pressure to the east, the Maritime provinces are likely to contend with high winds.

Lead up weather

It will be a cold night ahead for the region with low temperatures falling into a range of -4 C to -9 C except -10 C to -15 C in northern New Brunswick. Be cautious of any standing wet or slushy surfaces turning icy evening and night.

A round of light snow and rain is expected to move across the region on Tuesday. Little snow accumulation is expected for most parts of the Maritimes, but slippery spots should still be watched for as surfaces will be at and below freezing Tuesday morning. There is a higher chance of seeing snow totals approach five cm in parts of northern and western New Brunswick.

Wednesday into Thursday storm

A Texas Low, which is a low-pressure system originating out of Texas, will swing up through the Eastern U.S. and into Quebec late Wednesday. Fuelled by the contrast between a fresh round of polar air breaking down into Ontario and milder air over the U.S. eastern seaboard, it will rapidly strengthen into a storm by early Thursday morning.

The Maritimes will then be squeezed between that storm system as it continues through Quebec and an area of high pressure over the North Atlantic. The pressure difference between those two systems will drive the strong expected wind.

All three Maritime provinces are at risk of getting wind gusts reaching 90+ km/h Thursday morning. The stronger wind would begin in western parts of the Maritimes before sunrise and peak in eastern areas by late morning-early afternoon. Wind that strong brings disruptions to ferry travel services, traffic restrictions to major bridges and an increased risk of utility outages.

You may wish to secure any holiday decorations that could be damaged by high wind before Thursday morning.

Don’t forget the rain

With the track of the storm well to the west of the Maritimes, it is mostly rain that is expected for the region.

Rain amounts for both Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia are expected to be 10-to-25 mm at this time. Higher totals of 25-to-50 mm are possible for parts of New Brunswick. The ground is frozen in much of the region and so this amount of rain can lead to more water runoff than if it were to come during the warm season.

A Special Weather Statement is in effect for the province of New Brunswick. It cautions on the strong wind and heavy rain but also on a risk of freezing rain in northwestern New Brunswick. The risk of freezing rain there is highest Wednesday morning until Wednesday afternoon.