A heat warning is in effect for all of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, and most of Nova Scotia.
Global News meteorologist Ross Hull said inland temperatures will reach the low 30s in some areas and the hot, sticky weather is expected to linger for at least two days.
“By the weekend, we are going to see a cold front push in and temperatures will drop by Sunday,” Hull said. “And how it feels outside, those oppressive humidex values that are nearing 40 in some places, will drop.”
Visitors to Murray Beach in Murray Corner, N.B., Thursday got an early jump on the heat.
“We quite enjoy the heat,” said Kristy Matthews while enjoying the beach with her family.
“The kids are troopers. They’re like fish in the water, so as long as we’re close to it, we’re happy campers.”
“I enjoy the heat,” said local camper Leola Langille. “My husband doesn’t at all, so we’ve been having to run the air conditioner at night in our trailer, which we don’t normally do on this shore.”
Hull said another, shorter heat wave is forecast to hit the region around the middle of next week. But he said the long-term outlook is favourable.
“And then heading into the last week of August and into September, it looks like temperatures will be slightly below average,” Hull said.
This week’s forecast caught the attention of the New Brunswick Lung Association.
In a news release, president and CEO Melanie Langille said the current heat warnings come on the heels of a report Monday from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which said global warming is in danger of being out of control, and human actions are to blame.
She said the Atlantic region is experiencing more hot days as a result of climate change and the heat can be a concern for people with pre-existing health conditions.
“These times of extreme heat is time to take extra precautions, and also these extreme heat events can affect people that are ordinarily healthy and don’t usually have lung and cardiovascular issues,” Melanie Langille said.
She said heat events will become more frequent and last longer without any tangible action to combat climate change.