Late fall storm brings gusts above 100 km/h and record high temperatures

A person watches waves crash near the shoreline at Point Pleasant Park in Halifax on Sunday, October 8, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese)

A strong low pressure system is passing through northern New Brunswick towards the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec on Monday.

That track places much of the Maritimes on the rainy and windy side of the storm. Widespread southerly gusts in southern New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island reaching or exceeding 70 km/h.

Some of the peak gusts have been reported in excess of 100 km/h in Nova Scotia in areas where topography is helping to enhance the winds.

As an example, a few personal weather stations near the Minas Basin and the North Shore of Nova Scotia have reported those 100+ km/h gusts as the south wind downslopes towards the coast.

A sampling of some of the stronger winds gusts reported in the Maritimes as of 1 p.m. Monday. (CTV/Kalin Mitchell)Along with power outages and travel service delays (bridge traffic restrictions, ferry services) the strong south wind has brought mild air up the eastern seaboard. That air allowed high temperatures on Monday for much of the Maritimes to climb into the low-to-high teens. Some of those set new daily high temperature records for a December 11. As of 1 p.m. at Cheticamp, N.S., was the warmest spot in Canada with a temperatures of 18.3 degrees.

New high temperature records set for a December 11 in the Maritimes. (CTV/Kalin Mitchell)The powerful wind will peak for New Brunswick and mainland Nova Scotia Monday afternoon. The wind peaking for P.E.I. and Cape Breton Monday evening. Wind turns westerly and diminishes overnight for the entirety of the Maritimes. The west wind returns some colder air with low temperatures expected to fall to or below freezing for some areas by Wednesday morning. Watch for any standing wet surfaces to develop icy spots.

The strongest winds and what is left of the rain shift into eastern parts of the Maritimes Monday evening. The rain and wind then both diminish through the night. (CTV/Kalin Mitchell)Rain with the storm has been heaviest in the province of New Brunswick. Early Monday morning reports already had amounts of 30 to 60 mm down for parts of the province. Additional rain has fallen since then with more to come Monday afternoon. Rainfall Warnings in place by Environment Canada for the province call for some totals of 40 to 70 mm.

The frozen ground and melting snow and ice may also contribute to more water runoff than would be typical with that amount of rain in a warmer season.