Unsettled, mild weekend, turning brighter next week

While not everyone is welcoming more rain falling once again on the weekend, I’m sure most are grateful for the milder weather.

Temperatures have elevated into the high single digits to mid-teens across the region, and parts of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick will be close to or might even crack 20 C this afternoon. A strong southerly flow between a large Texas low to our west and high pressure offshore is responsible for it.

The good news is that it will remain warmer than normal, at least for the weekend and the first half of next week.

Weather-wise, this weekend, the Texas low that will retrograde near the northern borders of Quebec and Ontario will still be our main influence with weather fronts and troughs moving into our region.

Periods of rain and showers will continue for Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island with a risk of downpours or thundershowers, easing to a chance of showers on Sunday. Rain will also fall across Newfoundland and Labrador, but the steadiest rain for eastern Newfoundland won’t be until Sunday.

A fast-moving trough carrying some showers then crosses the Maritimes on Monday with a low chance of showers lingering in some communities on Tuesday, with this weather also crossing Newfoundland and Labrador Monday night and Tuesday.

In its wake, a ridge of high pressure will then move in for the middle and later stages of next week. For most of the region, this should allow for calmer conditions and a fair amount of sunshine in the forecast.

I’ll be watching the possible return of unsettled weather near, you guessed it, next weekend. A trough of low pressure to our west could bring a chance of showers to the Maritimes on Friday, with more rain next weekend.

There will also be an offshore low that could bring a chance of showers into Newfoundland and Labrador on Thursday and Friday and then more wet weather later next weekend.

That’s still a week out, so in the meantime, let’s focus on the milder temperatures and the opportunities for some April sunshine in our forecast.