Friday Forecast calls for more rain and thunderstorms

A pedestrians shield themselves from rain and wind during a rainfall warning in Halifax on Thursday, January 26, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese)

In an all too familiar sounding forecast, the Maritimes can expect rain along with a risk of thunderstorms on Friday.

An area of low pressure will move towards the Maritimes out of Quebec while a second low pressure moves northward from the eastern United States. While they won’t meet up directly over the Maritimes, they will get close enough to bring in a round of rain with embedded thunderstorms.

Two low pressure systems, one to our west and one to our south, approach the Maritimes Friday bringing rain and a risk of thunderstorms. (CTV/Kalin Mitchell) The rain and thunderstorms are expected to arrive in western New Brunswick and southwestern Nova Scotia just before sunrise on Friday. The rain and thunderstorms then move west-to-east across the Maritimes Friday morning through the afternoon.

Cape Breton won’t see the rain until late afternoon, but it won’t clear until later Friday evening. Behind the rain there is a chance of showers with a risk of thunderstorms that extends into Friday evening.

A band of rain and thunderstorms arrives into western New Brunswick and southwestern Nova Scotia early Friday morning. (CTV/Kalin Mitchell)

The speed of the system should limit most rainfall totals to 10 to 30 mm. Thunderstorms within the rain producing totals of 40 to 80 mm. The higher rain amounts and downpours associated with the thunderstorms increasing the risk of reduced visibility on roads, hydroplaning conditions, and ponding water in low lying areas.

There are a few areas that have a higher risk of those thunderstorms. That includes areas of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia around the Bay of Fundy. Environment Canada has issued a Special Weather Statement for those areas cautioning on the higher thunderstorm potential.

The rain and thunderstorms moves quickly west-to-east across the Maritimes Friday morning into afternoon. (CTV/Kalin Mitchell) Gusty winds will accompany the passing rain. At first coming from the south the winds will become westerly as the rain passes. Gusts of 30 to 60 km/h are expected.