November 2018 – Cold & snowy

Snow settles in NE Moncton before changeover to rain, 10 Nov 2018 (Dearing)

About twice the normal amount of precipitation fell in Southeast New Brunswick during November which began as heavy rain and became heavy snow when it turned colder.

Two major rain events which included hurricane force winds were followed by the first snowfall of the season on the 10th and three more snow events to round out the month.

Greater Moncton had snow cover starting on the 14th and by the 30th, about 31 cm of snow was lying on the ground – almost eight times more than normal.

Temperatures were mild during the first third of the month and became decidedly frigid by the middle with lows near -15 C accompanied by bitterly cold wind chills.

NOVEMBER 2018 ALMANAC (at Greater Moncton Int’l Airport, 1981-2010)

Average HIGH 3.2°C

Average LOW -4.0°C

AVERAGE -0.4°C (about 2.3 degrees BELOW normal)

Extreme HIGH 17.1°C (03 Nov)

Extreme LOW -15.3°C (22 Nov)

RAINFALL 141.4 mm (about 50 percent ABOVE normal)

SNOWFALL 75.0 cm (about 4 times ABOVE normal)

(Data courtesy Environment Canada)

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Powerful winds pummel Maritimes

Tree topples over following powerful winds, 04 Nov 2018 (NB Power)

An intense low pressure system moving up from the U.S. Eastern Seaboard brought heavy rain and strong winds to the Maritimes overnight.

The powerful hurricane-force gusts knocked out electricity to more than 100,000 customers in New Brunswick during the height of the storm.

Temperatures were very mild thanks to a southerly flow with highs exceeding 20°C in some areas including a new record of 21.7°C in Cheticamp.

Rainfall amounts (mm):

• Kejimkujik, NS  93
• Alma, NB  85
• Greater Moncton  69
• Fredericton  64
• Saint John  60
• Summerside, PEI  58
• Halifax Stanfield  45

Wind gusts (km/h):

• Bouctouche, NB  119
• North Cape, PEI  117
• Greater Moncton  110
• North Mountain, NS  108
• Grand Etang, NS  106
• Fredericton  102
• Saint John  100
• Halifax Stanfield  100

(Data courtesy Environment Canada)

First snow flurries of fall!

Snow squall in west end Moncton, 18 Oct 2018 (Dearing)

Low clouds and cold gusty winds across the warm Gulf of St. Lawrence and Bay of Fundy produced the first snow flurries of the season throughout the Maritimes today.

Greater Moncton actually had occasional snow squalls throughout the afternoon but there was no accumulation.

Some areas of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia did record slight amounts on the ground.

Environment Canada issued a special weather statement with up to 10 cm of snow possible for the Cape Breton Highlands.

Michael strikes Florida panhandle

Hurricane Michael damage in Panama City, FL, USA, 10 Oct 2018 (Instagram)

Hurricane Michael slammed the coastline of the Florida panhandle making landfall mid-afternoon as a Category 4 storm.

Michael is the strongest hurricane to hit the United States since Camille in 1969 with winds up to 250 km/h and as much as 300 mm of rain.

Warmer than normal water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico helped fuel Michael and the accompanying storm surge which submerged communities near Panama City.

Forecasters say the storm was downgraded to a Category 1 as it crossed Georgia.

Michael is expected to weaken to a post-tropical depression by the time it passes south of Nova Scotia on Saturday.

Powerful winds pummel Eastern Arctic

A powerful storm brought destructive winds to the Eastern Arctic with gusts up to 140 km/h in Nunavut, Nunavik (northern Quebec) and northern Labrador.

The power was knocked out in Iqaluit where residents were cleaning up debris and assessing roof damage on some buildings.

Environment Canada reported a peak wind gust of 124 km/h in Iqaluit but that was still below the record of 156 km/h from 1960.

Forecasters say the cyclogenesis or weather bomb featured rapidly dropping central pressure which generated strong winds.

Summer departs with gusty winds

Hints of fall colours in west end Moncton, 20 Sept 2018 (Dearing)

The same storm system which brought severe weather to Ontario and Quebec – including tornadoes – crossed through New Brunswick overnight.

Strong low pressure caused gusty winds up to 72 km/h at the Greater Moncton International Airport which turned out to be the windiest day since 02 June.

A wind gust of 85 km/h was reported in Charlo.

NB Power said almost 10,000 customers lost power at the peak of the storm thanks to trees and branches falling on utility lines.

Incidentally, fall officially arrives later tonight with the autumnal equinox at 10:54 pm ADT.

Tornadoes tear through Ottawa

Damage from a tornado in west end Ottawa, ON, 22 Sept 2018 (Instagram)

Environment Canada has confirmed two powerful tornadoes ripped through west end Ottawa before touching down again in Gatineau across the Ottawa River.

Officials say dozens were hurt and at least two residents are in hospital with critical injuries.

Tens of thousands were left without power after at least 80 utility poles either snapped or were damaged.

Meteorologists say severe thunderstorms spawned one twister classified as an EF-3 with winds up to 265 km/h while another tornado was an EF-2 with winds up to 220 km/h.

Tornadoes are not uncommon in Southern Ontario but storms of this strength are rare.

Summer to fall in two hours

The skyline of Moncton, NB, 16 Sept 2018 (Dearing)

An abrupt change in temperature thanks to a passing cold front turned summer quickly into fall in Greater Moncton this week.

On Tuesday, Environment Canada reports a temperature of 22°C at 11am which plummeted to 16°C by 1pm and the wind direction changed from the southeast to the northwest.

The long, hot summer in New Brunswick was suddenly over.

The daytime high on Wednesday was 13.6°C which was the coolest day since 25 June.

Forecasters are calling for near or slightly below seasonal temperatures until the end of the month (Normal high 18°C, normal low 7°C).

Florence called a ‘monster’

More than two million residents have been evacuated as Hurricane Florence roars toward the Southeastern United States with sustained winds of more than 175 km/h.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center says the Category 2 storm is taking aim at North and South Carolina on Thursday.

A life threatening storm surge is expected along the Atlantic coast with an incredible 800 mm (30 inches) rain possible.

Emergency officials call Florence “a monster” and cities like Myrtle Beach have become eerily empty as the hurricane approaches.

Chris brushes eastern Newfoundland

Post-tropical storm Chris quickly moved across eastern Newfoundland late Thursday and early Friday with powerful winds, heavy rainfall and rough surf along the coast.

Gander recorded almost 80 mm of rain (almost a month’s worth), the southern Avalon Peninsula had high water swells of 6 to 8 metres above normal while Bonavista and Cape Pine recorded wind gusts above 100 km/h.

The Canadian Hurricane Centre issued its final bulletin for Chris early Friday as the storm sped off into the North Atlantic.