Weekend storm hits parts of Maritimes, rainfall disparity remains between eastern and western regions

Large waves in the Northumberland Strait over the weekend as a fall storm moved through. (CTV/Kalin Mitchell)

Heavy rain was reported in a number of locations across the Maritimes this past weekend. That has allowed for parts of the region to make up some ground on an extended dry stretch of weather this summer and into fall. However, a significant disparity in rainfall remains between eastern and western parts of the region.

Fall storm reports

A powerful low-pressure system crossed the Maritimes on the weekend. The storm brought rain totalling more than 50 mm in a number of areas. Wind gusts for some locations exceeded 90 km/h. Large and crashing waves were present near the coast.

The highest rain totals came in from eastern New Brunswick, Atlantic coastal Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. A pocket of rain ranging 80 to 99 mm was reported just to the north of Moncton, in the vicinity of communities such as Irishtown. A number of communities across Halifax County into Guysborough County reached totals near 70 mm. Rain amounts in the Sydney area were closer to 60 mm, with high rain rates leading to some instances of localized flooding. Foxley River in western Prince Edward Island received near 70 mm of rain, as did the communities of Bonshaw and Crapaud in Queens County.

Strong wind gusts of 80 to 90 km/h were recorded on parts of the Atlantic coastline of Nova Scotia, with wind gusts of 113 to 148 km/h in the area of Inverness County, Cape Breton from Cap Le Moine north to Cheticamp.

November rain disparity

It’s been a month of have and have-nots for rain, with a large disparity in amounts developing between western and eastern parts of the region.

A stagnant weather pattern over the last two weeks allowed for persistent rounds of rain and showers to bring totals well over monthly averages in eastern New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and eastern areas of Nova Scotia.

While cloudy, the same weather pattern wasn’t as generous for western areas of the Maritimes, which remain mostly at a quarter to near half of the monthly average amount of rain.

Looking ahead

A faster moving, but also weaker low-pressure system, will sweep a weather front across the Maritimes late Tuesday into Wednesday.

A round of rain and showers will accompany that front. Rain amounts from the system will total 2 to 10 mm for most areas with pockets as high as 10 to 20 mm in western areas of New Brunswick. Wind gusts with the wet weather peaked around 30 to 50 km/h, far lower than the gusts that accompanied the rain this past weekend.

Beyond that, a low-pressure system is expected to develop and move up the eastern seaboard at the end of this week. That system is likely to bring a mix of snow and rain to the Maritimes on Friday, with snow most likely in central and northern areas of New Brunswick. That system is too far out in the forecast to look at possible totals with a reasonable amount of confidence.