Download Climate in Atlantic Canada

 The
main factors influencing Nova Scotia's
climate are:
 The
effects of the westerly winds.
 The
interaction between three main air masses
which converge on the east coast
 Nova
Scotia's location on the routes of the
major eastward-moving storms.
 The
influence of the Atlantic Ocean creates a
cool and damp climate.
 Our
region features one of the most rugged and
most variable climates anywhere in the country.
 In
winter, temperatures can vary wildly as Arctic
air is replaced by maritime air from passing
storms.
 Snowfall
is relatively heavy, and fog is often
present in spring and at the onset of summer.
 July
is the warmest month with an average
temperature of 16 to 18 degrees Celsius.
CLIMATE IN ATLANTIC CANADA

We experience long, mild winters (averaging about -4°C in January) and
cool summers (the mean daily July temperature is 18°C).

Coastal communities are generally several degrees warmer in winter and
slightly cooler in summer.

During late spring and early summer, the mixing of the cold Labrador
Current and the warm Gulf Stream produces frequent banks of sea fog
over coastal areas.
CLIMATE IN ATLANTIC CANADA
 Fall
and winter storms, arriving in or near Nova
Scotia from the U.S. Northeastern and New
England states (called "nor'easters" in the US),
often attain tremendous intensity across
coastal areas, resulting in high winds, heavy
rain, ice or snow and sometimes all of the
above in a single storm.
 Nova
Scotia juts out into the Atlantic so it is prone to
intense cold-season storms ("nor'easters" - primarily
November to March)
 They
arrivive from the Northeastern United States.
 Occasional
tropical storms and hurricanes occur in
late summer and autumn.
 (However
due to the relatively cooler waters off the
coast of Nova Scotia, tropical storms are usually weak
by the time they reach Nova Scotia.)