We often pay special attention to low pressure, while not emphasizing high pressure. However, high pressure can have the biggest effect on our weather patterns. The situation will be quite unusual as a northward bulge in the jet stream will approach the North Pole by Thursday, stretching all the way from California. A strong high pressure area will form and the intensity of the ridge will make it impossible for the Pacific jet stream to cross this productive weather feature for several days. SEE ALSO: Deep inside Greenland’s melting ice, the situation is dire Think of this pattern as forgetting to close your front door in the middle of winter. Such an enhanced pattern leaves most of Canada susceptible to direct arctic air in the coming weeks. The coldest air in the northern hemisphere is swirling over Siberia, but will soon be blowing towards Nunavut. With such an enhanced ridge, arctic air will continue to fall south across central and eastern Canada throughout November, paving the way for below-season weather. The high pressure system will be at its strongest on Wednesday and Thursday and has the potential to set an all-time record for the month of November. The maximum surface pressure forecast is a notch above 1060 hPa. The highest adjusted sea level pressure reading in Canada is 1071.9 hPa, which occurred in early February 1989. Readings across B.C. and Alberta may reach 1055 hPa.
