Heavy rain and thunderstorms swept across Atlantic Canada overnight, soaking parts of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick as a slow-moving storm continues to move northeast towards Newfoundland.

Cedar Lake in Nova Scotia recorded 87 mm of rain by 8am local time on Sunday, the highest reported total so far from the storm. The heaviest rainfall targeted southwestern Nova Scotia and eastern New Brunswick, with Yarmouth recording 67 mm, Hammond Plains 52 mm and Bedford 50 mm by the same time. Halifax-Dartmouth saw between 30 and 44 mm.

In New Brunswick, 62 mm of rain fell north of Shediac, while Sussex recorded 40 mm and Fredericton 36 mm. Prince Edward Island also saw significant rainfall, with 45 mm reported at East Point and between 38 and 44 mm in Summerside.

The system was driven by a plume of subtropical moisture streaming up from the Bahamas, in what forecasters described as an atmospheric river. Multiple developing low-pressure systems tracked into the region through the weekend, bringing periods of widespread rain, and embedded thunderstorms increased the rainfall totals in places, raising the threat of localised flooding. Forecasters had warned before the weekend that rainfall of 50 to 80 mm was expected across much of the region, with a storm maximum approaching 100 mm in a couple of locations, and peak rates of up to 10 mm an hour under the heaviest downpours.

Along with the heavy rain, the subtropical air pushed temperatures well above seasonal levels across Nova Scotia. Greenward reached 15.9C before dawn on Sunday, while Halifax also recorded temperatures above 15C, around 10C above normal for the time of year. That warmth was not expected to last, with temperatures forecast to fall throughout Sunday across much of the Maritimes.

As the storm's focus shifts away from the Maritimes, Newfoundland faces its turn with unsettled weather. Periods of rain and gusty winds were expected to move across the island on Sunday, with the strongest winds in southwestern Newfoundland, where downslope winds near the Wreckhouse area could produce gusts exceeding 100 km/h. Environment Canada had also issued wind warnings for western Newfoundland, with gusts near 130 km/h expected at Wreckhouse, and special weather statements for freezing rain over high terrain in western and northern Newfoundland, where local ice of more than 10 mm was possible in the mountains.

Official forecasts issued by Environment Canada on Sunday afternoon showed the rain ending across Nova Scotia later in the evening, with showers lingering into Monday and temperatures easing back towards seasonal levels. The storm brought a wet end to what had been a dry start to November in Atlantic Canada, and forecasters warned that the rain was falling fast enough in places to cause ponding, pooling and increased run-off.

Residents were advised to keep clear of flooded roads and to watch for further updates, with more unsettled weather possible as the system moves on. The rain was expected to ease across the Maritimes later on Sunday, although showers were forecast to continue into early next week.