'Weather bomb' set to bring brutal winds to one corner of Atlantic Canada
Some of the stormiest Thanksgiving weather looks to land on Newfoundland's doorstep, as the region gets caught in the battle zone of two powerful pressure systems.
It's looking increasingly likely that a low-pressure system off of Newfoundland will soon qualify as a 'weather bomb,' bringing not only rain but also some very strong winds, with wind warnings issued for the eastern half of the island Thursday evening. Some areas, including St. John's, could see winds as high as 100 km/h for part of the weekend. A closer look at timing, below.
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INTO THE WEEKEND: DEVELOPING SYSTEM PUSHES INTO NEWFOUNDLAND, EXTENDED PERIOD OF RAIN AND WIND BEGINS
A low pressure system that moved past Newfoundland Thursday night looks to grind to a half not far from the Avalon Peninsula by Friday, then undergo what forecasters call explosive cyclogenesis – a drop of pressure of at least 24 millibars in 24 hours, colloquially known as a 'weather bomb.'
What that means in practice is strong winds. They'll start picking up Friday morning, and by the evening will be very strong, prompting Environment Canada to issue wind warnings Thursday evening for the Avalon and Bonavista peninsulas.
THE WEEKEND: STRONG WINDS LASH EASTERN NEWFOUNDLAND
From Friday night through to Saturday night, gusts of 90-110 km/h are possible, strongest near the shores of the warned areas.
"Damage to buildings, such as to roof shingles and windows, may occur. Loose objects may be tossed by the wind and cause injury or damage," Environment and Climate Change Canada says.
These winds will persist through Saturday and even into Sunday, before gradually relaxing Sunday morning and through the day.
The stalled low will also send bands of rain onshore, particularly to the eastern Avalon, where as much as 40-60 mm will be possible by the time it finally tapers on Sunday.
"Though higher totals will be lurking just offshore, so a small shift in where the low pressure area stalls could actually cause forecast totals to change quickly for any particular location," says Michael Carter, a meteorologist at The Weather Network.
High temperatures will only reach the mid-single digits, with even snow possible for the higher terrain.
After a cooler start to the holiday weekend for parts of the Maritimes as well, temperatures will improve on Thanksgiving Monday, as high pressure nudges in from the west. Newfoundland will also see a bump in temperatures for Thanksgiving Monday, though returning cooler than seasonal for most of next week.
Be sure to check back for the latest updates on the Thanksgiving weather across Atlantic Canada.