Moncton, New Brunswick

:For the parish, please see Moncton, New Brunswick (parish)

Climate

For a city located less than 50 km from the Bay of Fundy and less than 20 km from the Northumberland Strait, Moncton has a climate which is surprisingly continental in character. These continental influences are most pronounced in the summer and in the winter. Maritime influences tend to temper the transitional seasons of spring and autumn somewhat.

Related Topics:
Bay of Fundy - Northumberland Strait

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Winter is usually cold but surprisingly sunny with the solar radiation making the air seem warmer than it really is. There are usually one or two prolonged cold snaps with temperatures falling to the range of -15 to -25 celsius. Most snowfalls occur due to nor'easter storms moving up the coast from the United States. Sometimes the snowfalls can be massive as a result of counterclockwise winds picking up moisture from the Gulf of St. Lawrence and dumping it on southeastern New Brunswick as the storm passes by to the east. In February 1992, a nor'easter blizzard lasting two days dumped 162 cm (65 inches) of snow on Moncton, paralyzing the city for nearly a week. Snowfalls of 20-30 cm are more typical and are frequently mixed with rain or freezing rain.

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Spring is usually late in arriving and this is because the bodies of water surrounding southeastern New Brunswick require time to warm up. Snowfalls in late April and early May are not unheard of. Trees are not usually fully in leaf until the end of May.

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Summers in contrast reveal a return of continental influences and are usually quite hot and humid. Summertime temperatures are frequently in the mid to high 20's with temperatures in the low to mid 30's occurring up to 6-10 times per year. Rainfall is usually modest and periods of drought are not uncommon. The heaviest rainfalls tend to occur during thunderstorms.

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Autumn tends to be a long and pleasant season. Again, this is due to a heat resevoir effect from the nearby ocean. Temperatures remain warm until at least mid October and the first snowfall of the season usually does not occur until mid November. Consistent snow cover on the ground does not happen until the end of December. Both October and November tend to be very wet months. Southeastern New Brunswick frequently will feel the after effects of remnant hurricanes during the fall season.

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