Temperatures are finally starting to climb into the double digits here in Southeast New Brunswick but when will it reach the 20°C benchmark?
Since 2014 (see above chart), the average date in Greater Moncton has ranged from mid-April to early May although in 2012 it was in late March.
In other words, it could reach 20°C very soon.
However, Environment Canada’s five-day forecast shows a cool down coming and a high no greater than 14°C expected.
Irishtown Nature Park, Moncton, 31 Mar 2019 (Dearing)
March seemed quite cold overall in Southeast New Brunswick especially given some frigid overnight lows during the first ten days of the month.
Daytime highs improved dramatically after that culminating with a maximum of 16.8°C on the 31st.
Only two days recorded temperatures with both highs and lows above freezing.
The month was also dry with less than half of the normal rainfall and snowfall received.
MARCH 2019 ALMANAC (at Greater Moncton Int’l Airport, 1981-2010)
Average HIGH 2.4°C
Average LOW -7.4°C
AVERAGE -2.5°C (about 0.4 degrees ABOVE normal)
Extreme HIGH 16.8°C (31 Mar)
Extreme LOW -18.7°C (08 Mar)
RAINFALL 26.4 mm (about 50 percent BELOW normal)
SNOWFALL 35.6 cm (about 50 percent BELOW normal)
(Data courtesy Environment Canada)
Tracks on frozen reservoir in Irishtown Nature Park, Moncton, 10 March 2019 (Dearing)
For the first time in 12 days, the daytime high in Greater Moncton finally climbed above freezing with a balmy high of 1°C today!
The normal maximum for early March in Southeast New Brunswick is 2°C with a minimum of -8°C.
The last third of winter has been especially cold with overnights consistently below -10°C and even as low as -20.1°C early Friday.
However, there is some good news – Environment Canada is forecasting that the next five out of six days will have highs above freezing.
Courtesy NB Highway Cameras, 13 Feb 2019
Lots of rain, freezing rain and ice pellets have been recorded so far this year in Southeast New Brunswick but snow has been somewhat scarce – until today.
A Colorado Low made its way across the continent this week bringing lots of snow to the American Midwest, Southern Ontario and Southern Quebec before arriving in the Maritimes.
Greater Moncton received 26 cm of snow followed by ice pellets and some freezing rain/drizzle along with strong winds which created poor visibility.
Snowfall amounts were fairly consistent across most of Nova Scotia with 22 cm at Greenwood and Halifax Stanfield Airport, 21 cm in Sydney but only 11 cm in Yarmouth.
Environment Canada says cold weather will replace the snow for late week with a brief warmup and rain expected this weekend.
Radar image captured at 23hrs, 19 Jan 2019 (Bing maps)
Snow at times heavy will begin in the morning changing to ice pellets and freezing rain by noon and eventually to rain later in the afternoon.
Greater Moncton is expecting about 20 cm snow, 20 mm of rain and possibly several hours of ice accumulation.
Strong winds will develop giving reduced visibility in blowing snow with gusts reaching 80 km/h along the Fundy coast.
Conditions may not improve until Monday afternoon as the storm moves eastward.
Snow falling in west end Moncton, 09 Jan 2019 (Dearing)
For the third time since the start of 2019, Southeast New Brunswick was hit with snow.
Another low pressure system initially brought snow with 21 cm recorded in Greater Moncton following briefly by ice pellets and then 5 mm of rain as the temperature climbed above freezing.
Higher amounts of snow fell in central and northern New Brunswick while more rain fell over mainland Nova Scotia with localized flooding in the Halifax region.
Environment Canada expects calmer but colder conditions over the next few days.
UPDATE – Storm summary for New Brunswick:
Snowfall (cm)
Rainfall (mm)
About 12 cm snow fell in Moncton on New Year’s Day, 01 Jan 2019 (Dearing)
New Year’s Eve celebrations were just getting started in Greater Moncton when snow flurries began falling from the latest low pressure system moving through the region.
By the time the snow stopped late this afternoon about 12 cm had fallen in Southeast New Brunswick with higher amounts toward the north and east.
Rain had been expected but the temperature never climbed above freezing as forecast.
In the wake of the storm, strong northwesterly winds will usher in frigid air creating windchill values near minus 30 and a risk of frostbite.
Sun glistening on the ice of Shediac Bay, 30 Dec 2018 (Dearing)
December turned out to be another cold month in Greater Moncton continuing a trend which began in October.
An early Arctic air mass kept daytime highs below freezing for a lengthy ten day stretch.
The month did prove to be less stormier than November with below normal rainfall and snowfall.
While Southeast New Brunswick had a snow cover for a few weeks prior to Christmas, it had mostly disappeared by 25 December.
DECEMBER 2018 ALMANAC (at Greater Moncton Int’l Airport, 1981-2010)
Average HIGH -1.6°C
Average LOW -10.2°C
AVERAGE -5.9°C (about 1.1 degrees BELOW normal)
Extreme HIGH 12.8°C (22 Dec)
Extreme LOW -16.5°C (09 Dec)
RAINFALL 46.8 mm (slightly BELOW normal)
SNOWFALL 34.7 cm (about 40 percent BELOW normal)
(Data courtesy Environment Canada)
While much of Canada is covered in white on this Christmas Day, many of the major cities are without a snow cover.
Only the Prairie cities of Winnipeg, Saskatoon and Edmonton were guaranteed a White Christmas.
Recent heavy rain and warm temperatures have erased the snow pack across Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and southern New Brunswick.
Traditionally Greater Moncton has a 65 percent chance of having a White Christmas.
Today, the airport recorded 3 cm of snow lying on the ground but much of the city and surrounding area have no snow cover at all.
Reservoir at Irishtown Nature Park, 16 Dec 2018 (Dearing)
More than 24 hours after it started, snow finally stopped falling in Southeast New Brunswick and a slow moving low pressure system headed to western Newfoundland.
Greater Moncton picked up between 20 and 25 cm and schools in the region were closed for two days.
Higher amounts of snow fell in western New Brunswick, western Prince Edward Island and the Cape Breton Highlands.
Environment Canada says the next major weather should arrive Friday with warm, moist air boosting temperatures and bringing significant rainfall.
