A heatwave builds for the Maritimes this week as a strong ridge in the jet stream moves in from the west. Here is what to expect as temperatures soar. Heat Warnings Environment Canada issued Heat Warnings for all three Maritime provinces Tuesday afternoon. The weather agency calls for daytime highs that could generally reach 30-to-33 degrees feeling 36 to 40 with the humidex. The nights will be very warm as well with low temperatures of 15-to-20 degrees, feeling into the 20s with the humidex. The heatwave and warnings are expected to continue through Friday and possibly into the weekend for some areas. Here are some helpful tips for being safe during an extended stretch of very hot weather: Role of the Jet Stream A strong ridge (rise to the north) of the jet stream has been migrating eastward. The ridge was positioned over Ontario and western Quebec on Tuesday. On Wednesday, it will broaden to encompass the entire Maritime region. The peak of the early August heat is located under that ridge. Hence why the Maritimes can expect to be in it through the end of the week. A key component to when the heatwave will break will be when that ridge breaks down. When the Heat Breaks The ridge is forecast to break down on the weekend and coincides with a weather front moving in from the west. The front will bring showers and a risk of thunderstorms along with it. The chance of showers and risk of thunderstorms is currently in the forecast for both Saturday and Sunday. The extended outlook is for a trough in the jet stream to keep temperature more moderate through much of next week. Temperatures through the end of August are likely to be very warm. The temperatures this week though could very well end up being the hottest of the month.
