Why this strong U.S. atmospheric river matters for Canada's East Coast
Atmospheric rivers (AR) are quite common on the West Coast of North America during winter, but did you know they can also occur on the East Coast?
An intense AR is shaping up in the eastern U.S. and Canada, drawing an exceptional amount of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico.
This AR could become the strongest, non-tropical, moisture-transport event since Dec. 18, 2023, when a major flooding event occurred in the northeast U.S. While impacts will still be intense this time around, the severity is not expected to rival last year's record-setting storm.
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The U.S. Northeast will bear the brunt of the impacts, with damaging winds, power outages, and excessive rain forecast across New England and Maine Wednesday evening.
Flooding concerns may be heightened in the northeast, as well, with Appalachian snowmelt expected to raise water levels.
The U.S. National Weather Service has stated this storm will not be as impactful as the event from Dec. 18-19, 2023. Why? Winds are not expected to penetrate as far inland, and better water storage is anticipated thanks to the shorter duration of this event. So, while the amount of moisture the AR is carrying is exceptional, impacts will be moderated because the system is on the move.
Widespread heavy rain & winds threat emerging across the region for Wednesday and Wednesday Night. Flooding and damaging winds are possible for much of ME and NH. Note: The storm will not have the severity of Dec 18, 2023. #nhwx #mewx pic.twitter.com/v1QpAMGGFd
— NWS Gray (@NWSGray) December 10, 2024
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Luckily, this AR is not expected to stall. Instead, it will track into Atlantic Canada late Wednesday through Thursday.
By the time the system comes into Atlantic Canada the intensity will be less, though heavy rain and widespread gusty winds between 80-100km/h are the biggest concerns on Thursday.
With files from Rachel Modestino, a meteorologist at The Weather Network.
