Long weekend weather for the Maritimes expected to be cloudier, breezy, and with a chance of showers

A pedestrian shields themselves from rain and wind during a rainfall warning in Halifax on Thursday, January 26, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

The weather system that will most influence weather in the Maritimes for the May long weekend is a slow moving low pressure system travelling north and just off the eastern U.S. seaboard.

A quick note on the Bluenose Marathon in Halifax. Runners may appreciate the cloud cover and easterly wind keeping it a touch cooler. The chance of some showers or drizzle means that spectators should be prepared to contend with some periods of wet weather. As it stands, the higher chance of steadier showers is for Sunday.

Saturday

The low will sit just east of Cape Cod on Saturday. It is expected to increase cloud cover across the Maritime region. A chance of showers or patchy drizzle is beginning for Nova Scotia Saturday morning, and a chance of showers or patchy drizzle for southern New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island by Saturday evening.

Temperatures cool compared to Friday due to the increased cloud coverage across the region. A prevailing easterly wind will keep highs in the low-to-mid teens for the Atlantic coastline of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and the eastern coastline of New Brunswick. Other parts of the Maritimes can expect high temperatures to reach a range of 17 to 21 degrees.

The wind will be steady, with occasional gusts of 20 to 40 km/h. People can expect a bit of a damp feel to the air on Saturday.

Sunday

On Sunday the low pressure system begins to move east and away from the Maritimes. The Maritimes are expected to be mostly cloudy with a continued chance of patchy showers or drizzle for southern New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia for Sunday morning and afternoon. Some partial clearing of the cloud cover starting Sunday afternoon for northern areas of New Brunswick.

Temperature comes down another few degrees for most of the Maritimes. High temperatures will range 10 to 16 degrees except for western areas of New Brunswick. The western half of New Brunswick a touch milder with highs of 17 to 21.

Wind on Sunday will be from the east and northeast. Sustained 10 to 20 km/h with gusts of 20 to 40 km/h. Similar in strength to the wind expected Saturday.

Monday

As the low moves eastward a weak ridge of high pressure builds in from the west. A clearing trend is expected to continue for the Maritimes on Monday. New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island should both see sunnier conditions compared to Saturday and Sunday. Nova Scotia may start mostly cloudy Monday but could see the sun start to break through in the afternoon.

With the sun breaking through, the temperatures rise. High temperatures in a range of 17 to 21 degrees for most of the region, where a breeze comes in off of ocean waters, coastal locations could be held between 12 and 17. The warmest temperatures on Monday is expected for Fredericton and west in New Brunswick. That part of the Maritimes could reach 24 to 27.

Wind on Monday becomes lighter and more variable in direction. Wind gusts are expected to reach 10 to 30 km/h.

Fire Danger Forecast

Natural Resources Canada issued a multi-day fire danger forecast. The forecast currently elevates the fire danger rating for southern New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island on Saturday. The forecast then has the entirety of the Maritimes into a low-to-moderate rating on Sunday. The rating then rises back to moderate for New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island on Monday, Nova Scotia remaining with a low rating.

Fire danger can change quickly based on the weather of the day. If planning on outdoor burning or recreation fires be sure to check in daily on provincial and municipal guidelines and restrictions. These are typically updated daily at 2 p.m. and can be found at:

No fire should be left unattended and should be fully extinguished before leaving.