Convective Outlook.
There are a couple areas of concern today: one over central NL and the other along portions of NS. First in NL, elevated morning convection giving locally heavy downpours should weaken in the coming hours. If things clear in the SW after lunch there is plenty of CAPE (1000 j/kg or more) so cells could fire fairly quickly and move northeastward through the afternoon and into the evening. Based on the 12Z YJT tephi the shear is low, but freezing levels are fairly low as well. Could be some strong wind gusts and small hail, but the main threat would be torrential downpours with 25 mm/h possible.
Now for NS. After analyzing things from the surface to 250 all the ingredients are there for a potentially stormy afternoon (of course, from experience working the desk this not always pans out). There is a 90 knot 250 mb jet observed in YQI placing NS in the left exit region. There is a strong 50 knot jet along SW NS with an approaching upper trough to the west, with 40-50 knots of shear along with falling atmospheric heights. There is also an approaching 700 mb trough. Sat pix shows plenty of sunshine to aid convection at the moment (need to keep an eye on some mid-level cloud sneaking into SW regions). There is a thermal ridge at 850 pushing into the province and an approaching surface cold front, that at 12Z, was analyzed to be somewhere near western and northern portions of the province. Dewpoint temps should be in the upper teens this afternoon proving the moisture. There were a couple severe cells in NB yesterday with Tds several degrees cooler, so confidence is fairly high that we see a couple strong storms this afternoon and into this evening. In addition, CAPE values could be up around 1500 j/kg. The instability won’t be that strong as LI’s will be around -4, but with all the other ingredients, this shouldn’t be of concern as a limiting factor at all. Torrential downpours and strong winds are the main threats…though some small hail is also possible.
Regional Impacts.
Newfoundland: potential for very heavy downpours with cells today across central regions of the island…25 mm/hr.
Nova Scotia: potential for very heavy downpours and strong winds from Queens County through to Pictou and Antigonish (including all counties along the ATL coast of NS) as well as Cape Breton.
PEI: slight risk of a thundershower for eastern portions of the Island.
NB/LAB: nil.

Jeremy