Sunny first week of September as the Maritimes heads back to school

September sunshine

A ridge of high pressure will build out of the northeastern United States and over the Maritimes this week.

High pressure systems come with subsidence, which is a downward forcing on the atmosphere – this limits the rising motion needed to develop extensive cloud and rain.

The high pressure will move east of the Maritimes on Friday, allowing for increased cloudiness and chance of rain/showers on the weekend.

At least the children won’t have to wear much rain gear as school heads back in across the region. There is a low chance, 10-20 per cent for any given community, of some isolated showers in Cape Breton Wednesday morning.

A sunny and warm Thursday as school starts for Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. New Brunswick started on Tuesday.

Clear night, good for stargazing

A mainly clear sky and a New Moon, near zero per cent illumination, offers favourable star and planet gazing conditions in the Maritimes Tuesday night.

You can spot the planet Saturn rising over the southeastern horizon through the evening. If you are up very late, the planet Jupiter will be rising above the eastern horizon after midnight.

For the early risers, there is a pass from the International Space Station Wednesday morning. That will start near 5 a.m. low over the horizon in the northwest and ends low over the horizon in the east. The pass will take about six minutes to complete.

It will be a mainly clear and cool Tuesday night with good night sky viewing conditions.

Tropical Atlantic update

There are currently no active tropical storms or hurricanes in the Atlantic basin.

There are three areas being monitored for possible development over the next several days.

The two with the highest potential for developing into a tropical weather system include an area of thunderstorms moving through the Caribbean and a second cluster of thunderstorms just off the coastline of Africa.

There are no active tropical storms or hurricanes in the Atlantic basin, but a number of areas are being monitored for possible development.