Widespread rains soak Atlantic Canada, eyes on 'significant' weekend system

Digital WritersThe Weather Network
Digital Writers

Thursday will remain unsettled across Atlantic Canada, with rain making its way east and winds picking up in strength.

The next few days will be rather unsettled for Atlantic Canada, though with some breaks at times, with a storm track that will funnel in multiple systems with impacts lasting well into the weekend as well. Thursday will see the rain persist across the Maritimes, finally reaching Newfoundland shores where it'll linger into Friday. It won't be excessive amounts, but some areas could see between 20-30 mm by the time it tapers off. Winds will also ramp up in the afternoon on Thursday, with terrain-favoured areas of Cape Breton and southwest Newfoundland anticipated to see gusts of 100 km/h. Beyond, the next system is already gearing up for a weekend impact, though still with some uncertainty with its track and intensity. More details, below.

THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY: RAIN PUSHES EAST INTO NEWFOUNDLAND, WINDS INTENSIFY

The low-pressure system will continue making its way across Atlantic Canada Thursday, with rain persisting across the Maritimes and its impacts spreading into Newfoundland as well.

ATLRain (4)

Conditions will improve in much of the Maritimes by Thursday evening, while the slow track of the system means the rain won't reach Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula until the overnight hours. It won't be a washout or a long-duration event by any means, as the low will be flushed out by a ridge of high pressure by late Friday morning.

The heaviest rainfall totals are expected to be in eastern New Brunswick, eastern Nova Scotia and western Newfoundland, where 20-30 mm is expected by the time the system departs. Between 10-20 mm is anticipated for western sections of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, with much less for the Avalon. Parts of northern and central Newfoundland could also see the precipitation manifest as a rain/snow mix for a brief period of time.

ATLRain (4)

Accompanying the rain will be strong winds, with gusts peaking at 40-60 km/h for most people Thursday afternoon, reaching 100 km/h for terrain-favoured areas of Cape Breton and southwest Newfoundland. There is a Les Suêtes wind warning in place for the former.

ATLGusts

LOOK AHEAD: EYES ON POTENTIAL SIGNIFICANT WEEKEND SYSTEM

Beyond, forecasters are watching the potential for a significant system to develop over the Atlantic Friday and track into the region on Saturday, with effects lasting through Sunday.

Content continues below

"However, there is still a lot of uncertainty regarding the track and intensity of the system – ranging from a track into the Maritimes with strong winds, heavy rain and even heavy wet snow on the western side of the storm, versus a track into Newfoundland with much of the Maritimes missing out, but showers for eastern parts of the Maritimes, heavy snow for parts of western Newfoundland and rain for eastern areas," says Dr. Doug Gillham, a meteorologist at The Weather Network.

ATLPressure

The unsettled weather will linger into Mother’s Day, while cooler than seasonal temperatures will dominate next week. Mostly fair weather across the region by mid-week, but another system is possible late week.

Stay tuned to The Weather Network for the latest forecast for Atlantic Canada.