Climate
This area, because of its position on the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, enjoys a maritime climate. The winters are comparatively mild and summers rather balmy.
When mentioning climate in the Chéticamp area one cannot help but mention the regularity and intensity of winds from the south-east known in the area as "suêtes."
Suête
Environment Canada
Les Suêtes Wind Warning (Cape Breton)
Les Suêtes wind warning uses the same criteria as a wind warning for the Maritimes. These winds occur over a specific area of the western Cape Breton Highlands during certain unique meteorological conditions. Les Suêtes is an Acadian phrase used to describe very strong southeast winds that occur in an area along the western coast of Cape Breton Island. Local fisherman report that the effects can extend 10 to 15 miles offshore. Because of the highly localized nature of these events this separate warning event is used. The warning covers a limited area of "Inverness County - Mabou and North." These can occur throughout the year, but are more frequent from the late fall through early spring.
The Notebook
Cape Breton Island, in Nova Scotia is promoted as Atlantic Canada's masterpiece. A small town on this masterpiece of physical beauty is also home to a masterful wind - something locals call the southeast or the suête.
From Margaree Harbor to Bay St. Lawrence, winds southerly 50, with gusts to 130 km per hour."
That's a typical springtime weather forecast for Cheticamp, a small town in the northwest corner of Cape Breton Island and home to the suête, a springtime wind storm that can have speeds of up to 150 mph.
YouTube Video of "les Suêtes"
