A nearly stationary weather front extending from Ontario and across the northeastern United States has made for a stretch of cloudy, damp and cooler April weather in the Maritimes. There is a break in that pattern ahead. Thursday night rain and showers The front will shift eastward Thursday night into Friday. It will move across the Maritimes bringing another round of rain and showers with it. The rain from the front will arrive in northern New Brunswick Thursday evening and clearing east of the Maritimes through Friday morning. Rain totals as much as 10-20 mm is expected for most of New Brunswick and western Prince Edward Island. The Bay of Fundy coastline of New Brunswick, eastern Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia can mostly expect 2-10 mm. The rain shouldn’t create any water issues. River watch There are a few monitored sites on the Saint John river system that have reached the advisory level. Advisories are issued when conditions are expected to remain below the criteria for a warning but may cause minor disruptions. Those sites include Saint Hilaire, Jemseg and Gagetown. Other areas may reach the advisory level in the coming days. Since we’ve been in a soggy weather pattern and there is more rain in the extended forecast, people who may be affected by rising water levels should monitor nearby rivers and streams. When do we get some sun? How about some sunnier and warmer conditions. Following the rain and showers Thursday night into Friday morning, high pressure will begin to build back over the Maritimes. Sunny breaks Friday afternoon will allow for high temperatures to reach the mid to high teens in New Brunswick and mainland Nova Scotia. A few reaching 20 degrees is possible. Daytime highs are slightly cooler for Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton, but those areas should mostly still reach 8 to 11 degrees. Saturday is forecasted to be a very fair-weather mid-April day. Most high temperatures reaching the low to mid teens. Cooler temperatures are expected in Cape Breton and on the coastlines where the highs will reach 6 to 10 degrees. It is the time of the year when we should be considering UV protection if out enjoying some spring sun. Don’t let that early season sunburn sneak up on you. A cold front will bring rain and showers back to the Maritimes Sunday into Monday. New Brunswick should expect rain to develop during the day on Sunday. The wet weather will arrive for Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island Sunday evening into Monday morning.
