Omega Block To Bring Days Of Cool, Damp Weather To Parts Of NL
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Spring in Newfoundland and Labrador can be a fickle thing. One day feels like summer, while the next drags us right back into a stretch of RDF — rain, drizzle and fog. Unfortunately for many areas of eastern Newfoundland, it’s the latter that’s about to settle in for much of this week.
The culprit is a developing weather pattern called an Omega Block. A strong area of high pressure is building over the Prairies while areas of low pressure become trapped on either side of it. The jet stream bends around that high in the shape of the Greek letter Omega, and once this pattern locks in, it tends to stay put for days at a time.
For eastern, northeastern and southeastern Newfoundland, along with parts of coastal Labrador, that means cool onshore winds, low cloud, drizzle, fog and periods of rain right through much of the work week and potentially into the weekend. Temperatures in eastern areas will struggle through the single digits at times, and with the wind factored in, it’s going to feel even colder than the thermometer suggests.
Rain pushes into western Newfoundland and Labrador overnight before spreading toward the Avalon and Burin Peninsulas Tuesday morning. As the system moves north, it weakens considerably, meaning much of central Newfoundland may end up seeing more drizzle and fog than steady rain. Once we move through Tuesday, the weather pattern becomes more about persistent dampness than significant rainfall.
There is at least one silver lining to this setup — icebergs. This type of pattern helps push sea ice and bergs closer to shore, and there are already hundreds of icebergs sitting offshore around Newfoundland and Labrador. While many people say the icebergs bring the cold weather, it’s actually the weather pattern bringing the icebergs toward the coast.
Not every part of the province will be stuck under the dreary weather, however. Southern and southwestern Newfoundland will likely fare much better thanks to offshore northeast winds, allowing for milder temperatures and a fair bit more sunshine compared to eastern areas. Labrador also sees a split forecast, with southern coastal sections cooler and damp while western and central Labrador enjoy much more pleasant conditions.
There are some signs the pattern may finally begin to loosen its grip by late weekend or early next week. If that happens, eastern Newfoundland could finally see temperatures rebound back into the teens along with a return to brighter skies. Until then, the rain jacket and hoodie will probably stay close by.
The next forecast update will be posted bright and early Tuesday morning!
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