What's next for N.B.? Experts release spring forecast

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New Brunswick’s rollercoaster ride through winter will continue into spring, according to The Weather Network, but the lack of snowpack should minimize the risk of flooding.

While Sussex cleans up from a snap flood that forced dozens of people to evacuate, the network’s spring forecast suggests that will be an anomaly for New Brunswick.

“Flip-flipping temperature patterns should come close to offsetting each other during the spring season, resulting in near-normal or slightly above-normal temperatures. Below-normal winter snowpack across New Brunswick should result in less spring flooding than we often see,” reads the outlook for New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. 

“An active storm track is expected to continue through March and possibly into April (with the typical threat of high-impact late-winter weather) before a drier pattern develops for the second half of the season.”

Nationally, the network is forecasting that “even more dramatic temperature swings and bursts of winter-like conditions” will disrupt “the path to consistent warmth.”

And it has identified the culprit.

“(A) shift from El Niño to La Niña as the primary influence on global weather patterns, occurring during a traditionally turbulent season, suggests that the upcoming season will lack a clear and stable character,” the forecast reads.

“On the whole, we expect that above-average temperatures will predominate over cold conditions for the majority of Canadians in the upcoming spring, with the exception of eastern Canada, notably Atlantic Canada, where stretches of warmth will be more closely balanced with chilly spells, leading to temperatures approaching normal levels.

“This forecast presents both good and bad news. The good news is that the mild winter and lack of snow will decrease worries about spring flooding. On the other hand, areas with a drier-than-normal winter may face an early start to the wildfire season.”

Last year’s fire season was a particularly bad one for New Brunswick, with fires raging for weeks in the province’s south and southwest.

The Farmers’ Almanac, meanwhile, is predicting a drawn-out transition from winter to spring.

“Winter weather conditions will hang on through much of April,” its forecast reads. “This will be especially true for Quebec and the Maritimes where a potent storm could possibly lead to a late season snowfall over the higher terrains of Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador during the third week of April.”

It’s predicting a messy Easter for New Brunswick, with a “heavy snowstorm bringing a very unsettled” long weekend.