The result is that Newfoundland has a deserved reputation as one of the stormiest parts of the continent. It also has some of the most variable weather anywhere. At all times of the year Newfoundland is near one of the principal storm tracks. The severity and frequency of storms is greatest between November and March, although they may occur at any time of the year. They pose a serious threat to fishermen, commercial shipping, and offshore oil and gas exploration activities.
Winds often mount to gale and sometimes hurricane force.
Hardly a winter goes by without at least three or four East Coast gales. Occasionally, throughout the year, mature cyclones are prevented from moving out of the region by an upper atmosphere block. The resulting cool, cloudy, and rainy weather associated with the system may persist for a week or more. During the summer and early fall, Newfoundland weather is typically less stormy. However, in the fall, tropical storms spawned near the equator and developed in the Caribbean may bring windy, wet weather while they pass by the island before dying or redeveloping in the North Atlantic.