Severe thunderstorm watch for northwestern N.B.
Environment Canada has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for northwestern areas of New Brunswick for Saturday afternoon and evening
Environment Canada is forecasting a risk of thunderstorms throughout the day in the Edmundston and Grand Falls regions. The severity will be based on the amount of sunshine in the region.
"With daytime heating, it looks like late this afternoon, this evening, there's going to be another round of thundershowers," said Environment Canada meteorologist Stephen Hatt.
A round of non-severe thunderstorms rolled through the region Saturday morning.
The national forecaster had issued severe thunderstorm watches and warnings for southern Quebec, including the Témiscouata region bordering New Brunswick.
Slight tornado risk
Across the border, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. national weather service, is forecasting the risk for severe storms in the region.
This includes a 15 per cent chance of high winds and hail and a five per cent chance of tornadoes in the extreme northwest of the province.
"Near the Canadian border, some supercell potential may persist from southern Quebec into northern and northwestern Maine this afternoon/early evening before weakening," said the NOAA's convective outlook.
Environment Canada has issued tornado warnings for several Quebec regions, including Quebec City.
Hatt said he puts the risk of tornadoes in the region at minimal, around the five per cent forecast by the NOAA.
He said the main risk from these thunderstorms are likely to come from heavy downpours.
"We have potentially up to 20 millimetres in heavier showers and thunder showers later on this evening," said Hatt.
"That 20 millimetres could come in a very short period of time. So I guess that will be the main threat I see."
Hatt said people in northwestern New Brunswick should pay attention to weather forecasts and warnings today and said Sunday's weather is forecast to be similar.
