Unseasonably cool temperatures and snowfall have hit Canada’s Maritime provinces, including Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island [1].
This sudden return to winter weather disrupts the transition to summer and threatens regional agricultural and transit stability. The arrival of Arctic air so late in the spring is atypical for the region.
The weather event is driven by a cold Alberta-clipper system and an approaching storm that brought Arctic air and precipitation to the area [4, 5]. Residents experienced a mix of light dustings and significant accumulations. The highest snowfall amounts, ranging from 20 to 40 centimetres, were expected in New Brunswick [2, 6].
Temperatures dropped to very chilly levels, with some areas reaching the low 30s Fahrenheit, or approximately –1 Celsius [7]. This cold snap followed a series of frosty mornings earlier in the month [3].
"The wintry weather will continue across the Maritimes to start this week with more snow, gusty winds and another round of very chilly temperatures," CBC News staff said [8].
Other reports indicated varying conditions across the region. While some forecasts predicted mild temperatures and rain for the weekend, other sources maintained that cool temperatures and significant new snowfall would persist [9, 10].
"We've seen a few frosty mornings this month in New Brunswick, but this week the snow chances grow," a Yahoo News weather reporter said [3].
“The highest snowfall amounts, 20 to 40 centimetres, are expected in New Brunswick.”
The occurrence of significant snowfall and sub-zero temperatures in May indicates a volatile spring transition in the Maritimes. Such late-season Arctic incursions can damage early-season crops and stress infrastructure not prepared for winter conditions during the typical warming period.
