First the deep freeze, then the snow: Winter storm bound for Atlantic Canada

Friday, December 13, 2013, 11:04 AM -

STORM WATCH: Tune into The Weather Network on TV for complete coverage on this system.

After a day of well-below-seasonal cold Friday, the Maritime provinces are in for a snowy Saturday night and Sunday morning, with Newfoundland next on the list.

The last day of the work week will bring wind chill values of -25 to New Brunswick, with overnight lows of -20C, while in Nova Scotia, snow squall warnings are in effect for the western mainland and northeastern Cape Breton. 

Snow squall watches were in effect until the late morning in western Nova Scotia, where snow squalls brought 8 cm to the Yarmouth area and several schools declared snow days.

Snow squall warnings are also in effect for parts of Newfoundland.

But it's Saturday night that most Atlantic Canadians will be watching out for. That's when the region will feel the effects of a winter storm that may dump 15 cm or more on parts of Ontario and Quebec.

Saturday night is when it'll start in the Maritimes, with at-times heavy snow for much of the region aside from the east and south-facing shores of Nova Scotia, where mixed precipitation is possible.

For much of the region, 15-30 cm is possible, made much worse for drivers by winds gusting 80-100 km/h for the duration of the storm.

"Southern New Brunswick will be closer to 30 cm," Weather Network meteorologist Brian Dillon.

For Newfoundland, the snow begins late Sunday morning, with similar totals and high winds in the forecast.

Parts of eastern Newfoundland may also be in for a rain-snow mix, or complete switch to rain, by early Monday.