Wet, windy weekend leads into snowy start to the week for some in the Maritimes

While the weekend started off fairly pleasant for many areas in the Maritimes, it ended with some wet and windy conditions.

Preliminary precipitation totals

In Nova Scotia, preliminary data from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) shows many areas saw between about 15 mm to nearly 45 mm of rainfall. The weather station at Halifax Stanfield International Airport recorded 44.6 mm of precipitation for Sunday with peak wind gusts from the southeast at 89 km/h.

Winds were gusty across the region as well. According to preliminary ECCC data, winds were primarily from the southeast gusting between 40 and 80 km/h.

Some areas, including Brier Island, Grand Étang, and St. Paul Island, recorded peak gusts more than 100 km/h at times.

In New Brunswick, preliminary precipitation totals from ECCC for Sunday show most areas saw between 10 and 50 mm. The highest amount of precipitation was recorded at St. Stephen with 52.9 mm.

ECCC says the Miramichi area got quite a bit of freezing rain. Conditions there started as snow before switching over to freezing rain. A total of 22.9 mm of precipitation was recorded, which was primarily freezing rain. 

The preliminary data did not differentiate between rainfall and snowfall in some cases, so the totals may differ slightly.

Winds were primarily from the east, gusting between 30 and 80 km/h.

In Prince Edward Island, the Charlottetown Airport recorded 9.2 mm of rainfall, according to ECCC data. There were also trace amounts of snow reported. Wind gusts peaked from the east-southeast at 76 km/h.

Expected precipitation

Periods of rain or drizzle will continue across the Maritimes Monday, changing to snow or flurries throughout the day.

Coastal areas of Nova Scotia and parts of New Brunswick can expect elevated sea water levels near high tide Monday evening.

Parts of Cape Breton could see 15 cm of snowfall Monday. Areas along the coast are in for about 10 mm of rainfall. Winds will remain strong from the east at 50 km/h gusting up to 80. There is a wind warning in effect for Margaree Harbour to Bay St. Lawrence with maximum gusts up to 140 km/h.

Elsewhere in Nova Scotia, flurries or rain showers will persist into the evening. Some more northern areas could see about five centimetres of snowfall.

Most areas of New Brunswick are in for two-to-five centimetres of snowfall Monday night, with a mix of precipitation continuing into Tuesday.

Showers will switch over to flurries for P.E.I. Monday evening. The Island is in for two-to-four centimetres of snowfall on Tuesday.

Weekend weather

In looking ahead to the next weekend, it looks like the region can expect a mix of flurries or rain showers. At this point, there’s roughly a 60 per cent chance of precipitation for any given area.

Temperatures will remain fairly seasonal over the weekend.