September heat

Flowers are flourishing in the September heat, 16 Sept 2017 (Dearing)

September usually doesn’t disappoint in Southeast New Brunswick when it comes to warm weather and so far this month is no exception.

Environment Canada reports on 14 September, the thermometer climbed to 27.8 C in Greater Moncton which ties the record high from 2003.

St. Stephen was the hot spot in the province and all of Canada with a high of 29.2 C which eclipsed the old record from 1903.

As we approach the first day of autumn on 22 September, temperatures in Greater Moncton can still climb into the 30s Celsius with a record high of 32.8 C in 1965.

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Meteorological Summer in Greater Moncton

Maple tree turning colour in Fairview Knoll Park, Moncton, NB, 04 Sept 2017 (Dearing)

If you were looking for great summer weather in the province, Environment Canada says Greater Moncton and Southeast New Brunswick was the place to find it this year. 

The average temperature for meteorological summer – June, July and August – was 18.1 C which is 0.7 degrees above normal. 

The weather office says humidity was often low, overnight lows were comfortable but 8 days hit 30 C or higher compared to a typical 4 to 5. 

The downside was a lack of precipitation with 155 mm of rain recorded which is 40 percent less than the summer average of 268 mm. 

August 2017 – Dry summer persists

Extremely dry ground and brown grass in NE Moncton, 30 Aug 2017 (Dearing)

The dry summer in Southeast New Brunswick continued in August with a dangerous forest fire hazard and little precipitation to soak the parched ground.

A dry trend which began in late June continued during the month with less than 50 mm of rain falling in Greater Moncton.

Temperatures were above normal with daytime highs consistently in the high 20’s Celsius but a string of single digit overnight lows during the final week brought down the overall monthly average.

AUGUST 2017 ALMANAC (at Greater Moncton Int’l Airport, 1981-2010)

Average HIGH 25.6 C

Average LOW 11.9 C

AVERAGE 18.9 C (about 0.7 degrees ABOVE normal)

Extreme HIGH 30.6 C (04 Aug)

Extreme LOW 7.2 C (28 Aug)

RAINFALL 46.8 mm (about 40 percent BELOW normal)

(Data courtesy Environment Canada)

Early frost advisory in N.B.

Frost covers a maple leaf (Twitter)

Environment Canada issued a frost advisory late Sunday afternoon for Greater Moncton and Southeast New Brunswick – almost a month before the average date of the first fall frost.

Clearing skies and light winds with temperatures falling into the lower single digits could have resulted in scattered frost.

However, the frost advisory ended early this morning when the threat was no longer expected.

The low at the Greater Moncton International Airport was 7.2 C which is several degrees away from any threat of frost.

However, the morning low in Edmundston was a chilly 1.1 C.

N.B. halts forestry operations amid extreme dryness

Tinder dry grass in west end Moncton, 03 Aug 2017 (Dearing)

Provincial officials say the fire hazard in New Brunswick is at its highest level in over 20 years.

A fire ban has been in place for days which means campers have to find other ways to roast marshmallows.

The province took a rare step today by restricting forestry operations during peak daytime hours.

Southeast New Brunswick currently has an extreme fire hazard and Greater Moncton has not recorded any significant rain since 21 July.

July 2017 – Warm and dry

Upper Salmon River, Alma, NB, 30 July 2017 (Dearing)

As the month of July progressed in Southeast New Brunswick, lawns turned brown and forests became extremely dry as temperatures soared and little rain fell.

Greater Moncton only received one-third of its normal monthly rainfall and 15 days had no precipitation at all.

The heat was steady throughout July with 20 days reaching 25 C or higher and four days climbing to 30 C or more.

A brief cool down near month end lowered daytime highs to the low 20s Celsius and brought a chilly overnight low of 6.9 C.

JULY 2017 ALMANAC (at Greater Moncton Int’l Airport, 1981-2010)

Average HIGH 26.0 C

Average LOW 12.3 C

AVERAGE 19.2 C (about 0.4 degrees ABOVE normal)

Extreme HIGH 30.5 C (31 July)

Extreme LOW 6.9 C (23 July)

RAINFALL 30.0 mm (about 67 percent BELOW normal)

(Data courtesy Environment Canada)

Dry July in Southeast N.B.

Grass turning brown in NE Moncton, 26 July 2017 (Dearing)

Lawns are turning brown and gardens are thirsty in Southeast New Brunswick given the light amount of precipitation recorded so far this month.

Environment Canada says 29.8 mm of rain has fallen this July in Greater Moncton compared to an average of 92.1 mm – just under one-third of normal.

No significant rainfall is expected before the end of the month.

By contrast, parts of neighbouring Nova Scotia have been much wetter than normal with 135 mm to date at Halifax Stanfield Airport.

Decent first half of July

An ominous afternoon sky over Greater Moncton, 17 July 2017 (Dearing)

For whatever reason, summer seems to go by faster than the other seasons and here we are already at the midway point of July. 

After 16 days, Greater Moncton has been having a decent month with an average temperature of 19.3 C which is 0.5 degrees above normal. 

Daytime highs have been warm but not hot with a peak of 29.4 C on 16 July while overnight lows have been mild except for a chilly low of 8.9 C on  05 July. 

The only concern is a lack of rainfall. 

The tally is 19.8 mm so far – less than a quarter of the monthly total – but keep in mind we are entering what is traditionally the driest period of the year in Southeast New Brunswick. 

(Stats courtesy Environment Canada)

June 2017 – Warm and unsettled

Ominous clouds near the Nova Scotia-New Brunswick border, 03 June 2017 (Dearing)

Thunderstorm activity was common throughout Southeast New Brunswick in June and all but ten days had at least a trace of rainfall.

But precipitation amounts were generally light in Greater Moncton except for two major rain events – 36.6 mm fell on 09 June along with a peak wind gust of 102 km/h and 21.2 mm fell on 24 June.

Temperatures were cool during the first week of the month with an overnight low dropping to the freezing point although frost was generally avoided thanks to cloudy skies.

Summer-like conditions arrived by mid-month and many daytime highs climbed well into the 20’s C and reached 30 C or higher three times.

JUNE 2017 ALMANAC (at Greater Moncton Int’l Airport, 1981-2010)

Average HIGH  22.4 C

Average LOW  9.9 C

AVERAGE 16.2 C (about 1.0 degree ABOVE normal)

Extreme HIGH  30.8 C (11 June)

Extreme LOW  0.0 C (06 June)

RAINFALL  77.8 mm (about 20 percent BELOW normal)

(Data courtesy Environment Canada)

Severe weather in northern N.B.

Heavy rain, hail and wind, Plaster Rock, NB, 27 June 2017 (Greg LeBel/Facebook)

An unstable air mass moved from west to east in New Brunswick producing severe thunderstorms bringing torrential rain, large hail and strong winds.

Environment Canada believes a severe thunderstorm formed near Doaktown and possibly spawned a tornado that moved into the Blackville area last night.

Golf ball size hail and damaging winds with gusts up to 100 km/h were recorded in the Plaster Rock area.

Southeast New Brunswick has seen an above average 18 days with thunderstorm activity this June and a severe thunderstorm watch was issued in the region this afternoon.