Very dry conditions persist in N.B.

Extremely dry conditions are certainty a big factor with the fires now burning.

Environment Canada meteorologist Jill Maepea notes how May has been very dry in New Brunswick which follows a recent trend.

“It’s actually been dry since January. We’ve seen every month since January be below normal across many areas of the province and that includes Moncton and Saint John.”

Maepea says Moncton had its driest April ever in recorded history and May is a bit better but still about 50 percent below normal.

Maepea adds the short-term forecast shows little relief from the dry weather and she thinks a seasonal transition is underway.

“We’re getting into a more summery-type pattern where we really only get precipitation from showers and thundershowers that aren’t really organized and tend not to provide widespread rain.”

Temperatures climbed into the 30s on Sunday and were record-breaking in some parts of New Brunswick.

Maepea says that kind of heat will return later this week and more record highs are possible.

A burn ban is in place across New Brunswick as the above map shows and it will be in place until at least 2 p.m. on Tuesday.