Hold onto your four-leaf clovers: Rainy and windy St. Patrick’s Day for the Maritimes

The luck of the Irish is not with Maritimers this St. Patrick’s Day, as heavy rain and high winds are expected for some areas.

Squeezed between a strong high-pressure system to the east and a storm moving into the St. Lawrence River Valley, the Maritimes can expect a rainy and windy St. Patrick’s Day this year.

Rain will develop west-to-east across the Maritimes Monday afternoon and evening.

A risk of downpours will accompany the rain near the Bay of Fundy coastline of New Brunswick and the Atlantic coastline of Nova Scotia as it moves in. Those same areas can expect a further risk of downpours Tuesday morning and afternoon.

The rain is expected to clear New Brunswick and southwestern areas of Nova Scotia by near noon on Tuesday. The rain will clear Prince Edward Island by mid-afternoon. Eastern areas of Nova Scotia, including the Eastern Shore and Cape Breton, will continue to see rain into Tuesday evening before it gradually clears to the east Tuesday night.

Concerns about localized flooding

Higher rain totals of 30-to-60 mm are expected for parts of the Maritimes under a Yellow Warning – Rainfall. That includes southern areas of New Brunswick and the Atlantic coastal counties of mainland Nova Scotia.

Pockets of 60-to-80 mm are a risk near the Bay of Fundy coastline in New Brunswick and Atlantic coastal areas of Nova Scotia. Adding to water runoff will be snow and ice melt. The still frozen ground also has a reduced capacity to absorb rain. If you are in an area under a warning or statement, you may wish to inspect the drainage systems on your property to ensure they haven’t been bumped out of place or blocked up through the winter.

Be cautious of hydroplaning conditions on roads where there is a lot of ponding water.

High and gusty winds

The strong pressure gradient between the two weather systems will drive a high and gusty southerly wind for the Maritimes.

Expect the wind to continually strengthen into Monday evening and night. Gusts of 60-to-80 km/h can be expected in southwestern New Brunswick and western Nova Scotia by Monday evening. Gusts of 60-to-80 km/h arriving for southeastern New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and eastern Nova Scotia by early Tuesday morning.

Some of the strongest winds will arrive in southwestern New Brunswick and southwestern Nova Scotia by 6 a.m. Tuesday. Peak gusts could reach 90 km/h on exposed areas of the coast and higher terrain.

That stronger wind will progress in southeastern New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and eastern Nova Scotia by noon on Tuesday. The wind will turn westerly Tuesday evening and night with the gusts diminishing in a range of 30-to-50 km/h.

A Yellow Warning – Wind has been issued for all of Nova Scotia along with Charlotte, Saint John, Kings, Albert and Westmorland Counties of New Brunswick. The warning calls for peak gusts reaching 90 km/h Tuesday morning into Tuesday afternoon. An elevated Orange Warning – Les Suetes Wind is in effect for northern Inverness County – Cape Breton. Due to the topography of the Highlands peak gusts could reach 120 km/h there Monday night through noon Tuesday.