Halloween weather: Heavy rain expected for parts of the Maritimes Friday

CTV meteorologist Kalin Mitchell says the Halloween forecast is much more trick than treat for the Maritimes. Special weather statements have also been issued.

A forecast that is probably going to garner more boo’s than a haunted house, but Halloween is still set to be plenty wet and windy weather for the Maritimes.

Heavy rain, high winds

A low pressure system out of New England sweeps a weather front across the Maritimes on Friday.

Rain will develop morning through afternoon. There is a risk of downpours within the rain. Wind will ramp up from an easterly direction to peak with gusts of 40 to 60 km/h for much of the Maritimes.

Coastlines exposed to the east and high terrain could experience gusts of 60 to 80 km/h. Due to the topography of the Cape Breton Highlands the area from Margaree Harbour to Bay St. Lawrence will reach gusts as high as 80 to 110 km/h.

Any Halloween decorations that could be damaged by wind, should be brought inside.

There is a chance that western New Brunswick and western Nova Scotia will be clear of the steadiest rain by early Friday evening. Those areas should still expect some patchy drizzle or lighter rain though. The remainder of the Maritimes including northern New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and eastern Nova Scotia should expect a steady rain through the evening hours.

Special Weather Statements have been issued for all three Maritime provinces.

Contribution from Melissa

Melissa is forecast to move north of Bermuda as a category-two hurricane late Thursday.

From there the storm moves into the Grand Banks on Friday. Any interests operating in the eastern most marine districts of Environment Canada should be frequently checking in on the nautical forecast. While that track keep the centre of the storm well east of the land areas of the Maritimes it could still contribute to the rain for the region on Friday.

The storm will pull moisture laden air up from the subtropical Atlantic as it moves north. The weather front crossing the Maritimes on Friday can tap into that, with the moisture riding up along the front like a conveyor belt. That will increase the risk of downpours within the rain.

Per the weather statement in effect, a general 20 to 50 millimetres of rain should be expected across the Maritimes. There is a risk of pockets that could total 50 to 70 millimetres of rain.

Areas most likely to experience the higher rain totals include around Atlantic coastal Nova Scotia, Bay of Fundy areas of New Brunswick and northeastern New Brunswick including Miramichi, Bathurst and the Acadian Peninsula.