Nor’easter number four!

Moncton’s west end after the latest Nor’easter, 23 March 2018 (Dearing)

It seems a bit strange the largest single snowfall this winter in Greater Moncton actually occurred on the second full day of spring.

Environment Canada says Southeast New Brunswick hit the snow jackpot from the fourth Nor’easter this month with more than 30 cm recorded.

A storm on 30 January was the previous snowfall event winner with almost 25 cm.

Strong winds were also a factor in this storm gusting at times to 82 km/h.

Here are some other snowfall totals:

• Kentville, NS  24 cm
• Alma, NB  20 cm
• Yarmouth, NS  18 cm
• Sussex, NB  17 cm
• Charlottetown, PEI  12 cm
• Halifax Stanfield Airport, NS  11 cm
• Bathurst, NB  8 cm
• Saint John, NB  6 cm

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Strike number 3!

Wet, heavy snow in NE Moncton, 14 March 2018 (Dearing)

The third Nor’easter in a week to strike Southeast New Brunswick packed less punch than the other two despite predictions it would be the strongest.

Temperatures remained near freezing in Greater Moncton during the snowfall which made it extremely heavy and wet and strong winds gusted to 85 km/h.

The western and northeastern parts of the province were hardest hit from this storm.

Snowfall totals as of 9pm ADT, 14 March:

• Miramichi  46 cm
• Bathurst  40 cm
• Fredericton  38 cm
• Saint John  27 cm
• Greater Moncton  16 cm
• Halifax Stanfield Airport  12 cm
• Charlottetown  5 cm

Peak wind gusts:

• Grand Etang  146 km/h
• Lunenburg  104 km/h
• Sydney  85 km/h
• Halifax Stanfield  83 km/h

January all-time highs!

Extremely warm temps across the #Maritimes today, up to an astounding 19°C in #Greenwood & #Cheticamp! Never been that warm in January for all those in red! #Moncton #NSstorm #MeteoNB #PEstorm pic.twitter.com/phJ12pEfMF

— Patrick Duplessis (@Pat_wx) January 13, 2018

Before a cold front swept through the Maritimes, all-time record January highs were set across the region yesterday including 16.7 C at Greater Moncton International Airport.

New Brunswick’s all-time January high was set in Sussex at 17.3 C, narrowly beating the previous provincial record of 17.2 C in Moncton from 08 January 1930.

Nova Scotia’s all-time January record was set yesterday in Greenwood at 19.0 C followed closely by Cheticamp at 18.9 C while on Prince Edward Island, Summerside hit a new monthly high of 13.8 C and St. Peters reached a provincial high of 17.8 C.

Environment Canada says while the latest storm delivered almost 28 mm of rain in Moncton, more than a month’s worth fell in Mechanic Settlement at 128 mm and Bouctouche at 98 mm.

The peak wind gust was clocked in Saint John at 96 km/h.

Greater Moncton spared worst of storm

Powerful storm surge causes flooding along the waterfront in Halifax, NS, 05 Jan 2018 (Twitter)

The ‘bomb cyclone’ or ‘snow hurricane’ – featuring a dramatic drop in atmospheric pressure when warm and cold air collided – has left the Maritimes and spared Southeast New Brunswick from the worst of its fury.

While strong winds were a factor throughout the region, Greater Moncton received less snow compared to further north and west.

To the south and east, more rain fell along with hurricane-force winds (up to 200 km/h gusts in western Cape Breton) which created powerful storm surges causing flooding along the coast.

Here are some totals from Environment Canada and local estimates:

• Greater Moncton Airport  14 cm snow, 10 mm rain, 91 km/h wind gust
• Bathurst  58 cm snow, 80 km/h wind gust
• Fredericton  30 cm snow, 78 km/h wind gust
• Saint John  5 cm snow, 20 mm rain, 87 km/h wind gust
• Halifax Stanfield Airport  40 mm rain, trace snow, 122 km/h wind gust

The storm may have departed but Arctic air has filtered back into the Maritimes which will mean a bitterly cold weekend.

Sunny, cold Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day 2017 at Sunny Brae cenotaph in Moncton, 11 Nov 2017 (Dearing)

Remembrance Day 2017 was sunny but cold in Greater Moncton.

At 11am, the temperature was near freezing and it was dry with a westerly wind gusting at times to 40 km/h.

Despite the raw wind, it actually seemed warmer this year since in 2016 it was cloudy with a bone-chilling light rain.

Fierce fall storm hits Eastern Canada

Certains résidents de Val-des-Monts complètement isolés le long de la route du Carrefour #policemrc #vdm pic.twitter.com/68RzFrnCkh

— PoliceMRCdesCollines (@Police_MRC) October 30, 2017

An intense low pressure system which absorbed the remnants of Tropical Storm Philippe unleashed its fury on Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes after racing through the Northeastern United States.

Environment Canada reports more than 100 mm of rain (a month’s worth) fell in Ottawa turning some streets into rivers in the National Capital (2017 is now its wettest year ever) and neighbouring Gatineau.

Strong winds gusted to 93 km/h at Ile d’Orleans with rainfall amounts of up to 90 mm across Southern Quebec.

Western New Brunswick felt the brunt of this storm in the Maritimes while Greater Moncton recorded 25 mm of rain and a peak wind gust of 69 km/h.

Deadly wildfires in California

Wildfires destroy entire neighbourhoods in Santa Rosa, CA, USA, 11 Oct 2017 (Getty Images)

Fire officials say wildfires will get worse before getting better in the wine country of northern California.

High winds and dry conditions have fuelled the flames destroying entire neighbourhoods in Santa Rosa and at least 13 wineries been either damaged or completely wiped out.

The death toll stands at about 30 with many residents being found in their homes not being able to escape the fires.

More than 3,500 homes and buildings have been destroyed so far and firefighters continue knocking on doors trying to evacuate thousands more being affected by the catastrophic blazes.

Tornado touches down in Alberta

Tornado swirling near Three Hills, AB, 02 June 2017 (TWN/Twitter)

A large tornado touched down in central Alberta near Three Hills on Friday afternoon amid severe thunderstorms.

Environment Canada had issued a tornado warning for the region which lasted about half an hour.

Officials say wind speeds up to 130 km/h caused damage to trees, roofs and buildings but no one was hurt.

Acadian Peninsula hit again

Severe thunderstorm, Caraquet, NB, 18 May 2017 (R.Mallais/Twitter)

After a severe ice storm in February, the Acadian Peninsula has been hit with bad weather again and this time by possible tornadoes.

Environment Canada is investigating after social media showed downed power poles, partially collapsed roofs and overturned concrete last night.

Severe thunderstorms can cause straight line winds with gusts as high as 130 km/h which is the same strength as the lowest level of tornado.

NB Power is working to restore electricity for thousands in northeastern New Brunswick and it could be sometime tomorrow before full restoration occurs.

The same frontal trough of low pressure moved into Greater Moncton this afternoon creating a 9 degree temperature drop (23 C to 14 C) in less than an hour and a wind direction change from southwest to northeast.

Nor’easter replacing frigid air

The last week of winter in New Brunswick has felt more like January than March but that frigid air is about to be replaced by a powerful Nor’easter forming off the U.S. Eastern Seaboard from two low pressure systems.

Overnight temperatures plunged to -20.1 C in Greater Moncton on the weekend which is close to a record low and daytime highs remained well below freezing with dangerous wind chills as low as -35 at times.

Environment Canada says heavy snow and winds creating blowing snow will move into southwestern New Brunswick Tuesday afternoon and spread to the remainder of the province in the evening.

Snow will likely change to rain by early Wednesday with most areas of the province expected to receive up to 30 cm of snow.

Before the storm reaches the Maritimes, forecasters say the Nor’easter could drop between 30 and 50 cm of snow in the U.S. Northeast from Washington DC to New York to Boston.