Could a hurricane’s remnants give Canada its last 20C temperature?
The remnants of Hurricane Nicole will swirl through Atlantic Canada this weekend. Could it be Canada’s last chance at a 20°C temperature until the spring?
A tropical system hitting Florida could give Canada its last chance at a 20°C temperature until next spring.
Nicole made landfall in southeastern Florida on Thursday morning as a tropical storm with maximum winds of about 120 km/h. Since it’s so late in the year, Nicole doesn’t have purely tropical roots—as such, it’s a very large storm, with a wind field that extends more than 700 km across.
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The size of the storm will make it a headache for the entire eastern seaboard as it pushes into the southeastern United States on Friday and races north toward Atlantic Canada.
Even though Nicole will have lost its tropical characteristics by the time it starts to affect Eastern Canada, we’ll still feel a decent thump of rain, wind, and even snow across the region as Nicole’s remnants race through the region this weekend.
Winds will pick up in a hurry across the Atlantic provinces as Nicole’s remnants begin to push into the region late Friday and through the day on Saturday. Gusty winds could reach 80-90 km/h in some areas, which could lead to isolated power outages and tree damage.
A deep slug of tropical moisture will follow the storm’s remnants as it crosses the border. This moisture, combined with warm southerly winds, will bring warmer temperatures and elevated moisture levels across the Atlantic provinces on Saturday.
Many areas will see heavy rain, with the potential for 50+ mm on the table by the time skies clear out on Sunday. There may be enough instability to lead to some rumbles of thunder in the Maritimes as the system pushes through. Parts of northern Newfoundland could even deal with winter storm conditions on Saturday night.
This setup will lead to above-seasonal temperatures bathing the Maritimes on Saturday, with daytime highs pushing into the upper teens for many locations. Some lucky towns might even crack the 20-degree mark. We’re also on the lookout for the chance that this could be Canada’s last time hitting 20°C until next spring—but never say never when it comes to wild fall weather.
Check back for the latest on the forecast across Atlantic Canada.