Possible downpours in the Maritimes Wednesday and Thursday

CTV meteorologist Kalin Mitchell shares the timing and rain amounts expected from a slow-moving weather front coming to the Maritimes.

A slow-moving weather front combined with a Texas Low will bring a round of rain to the Maritimes Wednesday through Thursday. A few parts of the region are at risk of occasional downpours in the rain.

Rain timing

Rain will continue to develop in northern and western areas of New Brunswick Wednesday afternoon. Wednesday evening and night will see the rain spread across that province. The rain will move into Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia overnight.

The rain will clear New Brunswick and southwestern Nova Scotia Thursday morning and clear P.E.I. and eastern mainland Nova Scotia through Thursday afternoon. Finally, the rain will clear Cape Breton Thursday evening and night.

A mix of sun and cloud along with isolated showers will follow for Friday. The high temperatures on Friday will be in the low-to-mid teens.

Risk of downpours

Most of the Maritimes can expect 10-to-30 mm of rain.

Rain totals are forecast to approach 40 mm in northwestern New Brunswick where a Special Weather Statement remains in effect. That area of New Brunswick has a risk of downpours Wednesday afternoon and evening.

There is an additional risk of downpours within the rain for Nova Scotia on Thursday.

The risk is highest for the Atlantic coastal counties and extends from the morning into the afternoon. The downpours could contribute to pockets of rain totals as high as 30-to-60 mm.

A Special Weather Statement has been issued by Environment Canada for eastern Halifax County, Guysborough County, and Cape Breton. The alert is cautioning there could be rain totals that approach 40-to-60 mm and rain rates of 5-to-10 mm per hour. The weather agency is advising Rainfall warnings may be required.

A wind warning has been issued for northern Inverness County – Cape Breton. Southerly gusts of 90 km/h are expected Thursday morning and early afternoon. The stronger winds are a result of the topography of the Cape Breton Highlands.

If driving in heavier rain, give yourself time and space on the roads. Visibility will be reduced and there will be an increased risk of hydroplaning conditions. That amount of rain shouldn’t cause any widespread flooding issues but areas with poor drainage could see some ponding water.

Rainy start to the month

Two very rainy weather systems will move through the region to start the month of May.

That’s a good thing as we don’t want to get too dry too quickly this time of the year. Additionally, parts of New Brunswick and P.E.I. need more rain to help recover from a winter season that saw below average precipitation amounts. Both of those provinces benefited from an April that brought near to above average rain for that month.