Brief warm-up brings major rainfall to Atlantic Canada
theweathernetwork.com
Saturday, January 11, 2014, 12:23 PM -
It's been a winter to remember in Atlantic Canada so far this season, but there's a brief reprieve underway in the region this weekend, in the form of a "January thaw" that is driving up temperatures and bringing rain to help melt some of the snow.
The downside is that it's a LOT of rain in some places, enough that Environment Canada has issued rain and freezing rain warnings in New Brunswick, rainfall warnings in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, and a special weather statement for Prince Edward Island.
RT @webslinger85: @weathernetwork Sydney NS before the “warm weather” and rain #wintermission pic.twitter.com/IjRLd9P9lb
— The Weather Network (@weathernetwork) January 11, 2014
The rain began moving into the region overnight Saturday. Ahead of the warm front, the threat of freezing rain began in southern New Brunswick and has been slowly drifting northward into central New Brunswick and western Prince Edward Island, but heavy rain has begun to set in for southern New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, continuing through the evening.
Freezing rain will still be a threat for western Newfoundland.
Much of the Maritimes could see as much as 45 mm of rain by Sunday morning, but people on New Brunswick's Fundy Shore and southwestern Nova Scotia will be hit even harder, with 60 mm or more falling over the same time period.
The winds will be picking up also, with gusts up to 110 km/h in Cape Breton, along with 80 km/h gusts along Nova Scotia's Atlantic coast before moving into Newfoundland.
The island itself is on track for some real downpours, with the worst along the western and southern shores, moving in late Saturday afternoon.
Overnight Sunday, the rain could change to freezing rain, along with snow moving northward along the Northern Peninsula.
Sunday morning should bring a changeover back to rain for most of the island, continuing through the day before slightl cooler teperatures move in Sunday night.
All this with winds gusting up to 100 km/h on the island's southern shores.
Forecasters are warning that the mild temperatures and rain could result in localized flooding and poor road conditions.
SEE ALSO: Protect your home from the January thaw
