Mid-week rain, wind before another freeze
The weather felt like a bit of a rollercoaster over the weekend, at least temperaturewise, and we’re lining up for something similar as February ends.
A developing low will first bring wet and mild weather mid-week then turning cold with lots of wind ending February
and welcoming March.
Showers and drizzle will develop over the Maritime provinces Tuesday night and Wednesday with steadier rain first in New Brunswick. Showers and drizzle also develop on Wednesday for the south and west coasts of Newfoundland.
Rain will be heavier Wednesday night into Thursday across the Maritimes, but a sharp cold front will change rain to flurries or snow briefly from west-toeast on Thursday before tapering off. This west-to-east rain to snow will also cross Newfoundland Thursday and Thursday night.
Rainfall amounts of 20 to 40 mm are forecast for central and western Nova Scotia, most of New Brunswick, and the southwest coast of Newfoundland. However, pockets of 40 to 70 mm are possible, and the Fundy coast of New Brunswick could receive up to 100-plus mm.
Otherwise, 10 to 30 mm is forecast elsewhere in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, with five to 15 mm in Newfoundland.
Snow is not expected to be a major concern, but additional accumulation could come from return flurries or squalls behind the low.
There’s also more wind with this system as a strong southerly will gust between 50 and 70 km/h Wednesday and early Thursday. Along the front on Thursday gusts of 70 to 90-plus km/h are forecast over Nova Scotia, P.E.I., southern New Brunswick, and southwestern Newfoundland.
West and northwest gusts of 40 to 70-plus km/h are forecast into and on Friday.
Let’s not forget temperatures in the mid-to-high single digits, if not warmer, are arriving Tuesday and Wednesday. Temperatures tumble back well below freezing behind the cold front through Thursday and Thursday night with another risk of flash freezing around the region.
It does warmup for the weekend, but mild weather doesn’t mean the end of winter.