Rex Block pattern keeping eastern Canada dry, while negatively affecting parts of the U.S. east coast

Thursday, October 10, 2013, 5:24 PM -

Although it carries a superhero like name, Rex Block is an actual weather term that Atlantic Canada should be grateful for this weekend, as it will keep the unsettled weather to our U.S. friends to the south and allow for a calm Thanksgiving weekend on the east coast of Canada.

What is a Rex Block?

"A Rex Block is a blocking pattern in the upper atmosphere that essentially blocks pressure systems from moving or moving anywhere fast," explains Dayna Vettese, a meteorologist at The Weather Network. "This pattern consists of a high pressure system to the north of a low pressure system with the high impeding the movement of the low."

Typically we see these blocking patterns during the spring months, but it's not uncommon to see them during the fall as well.

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"There is currently a Rex Block pattern that's allowing for sunny and mild weather in southern Ontario," says Monica Vaswani, another meteorologist at The Weather Network. "It will help to keep the region "high and dry" until Saturday and it's doing the same for most of the Maritimes as well."

It looks as though a stretch of pleasant fall weather is in store for Atlantic Canada right through to the holiday Monday.

The bad news?

"Because this blocking pattern is stagnant, the high is keeping a low pressure system stateside from moving," Vaswani explains. "That means prolonged periods of unsettled weather are forecast for residents of the U.S. east coast.