Heavy snow prompts school closures in Newfoundland, risk of 20 cm
Snowfall warnings issued for a heavy helping of snow across Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula through Wednesday
After a wet and windy Tuesday hit much of Newfoundland, parts of the island will feel a much more wintry blast through the day on Wednesday. Snowfall warnings are in effect, with 10 to 20 cm forecast, and up to 30 cm possibly falling in mountainous areas.
Conditions are expected to rapidly deteriorate and therefore, several schools, most of them on the Avalon Peninsula, are either closing early or will just opt to remain closed for the entire day.
Anyone considering travel should be prepared for the changing conditions, and should avoid any non-essential travel.
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Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow.
Wednesday into Thursday
Winter travel impacts are expected Wednesday across Newfoundland's southeast, with wet and heavy snow forecast.
This snow type can be extremely heavy, and could easily add to local power outages, as well as travel delays. Precipitation rates will be quite intense, possibly falling in the 3-5 cm per hour range, and causing rapid accumulations by the afternoon hours.
Some communities along the shorelines in the southeast Avalon could see warmer temperatures push in, which will bring in a rain snow mix or even periods of straight rain, and this will drastically reduce snowfall amounts there.
For areas further inland and higher up, snowfall amounts may exceed 15 cm, where colder temperatures are expected.
Winds will be the gustiest just off the shorelines of the Avalon Peninsula, pushing 60+km/h into St. John's by the evening hours.
This may cause local whiteouts and blowing snow conditions, and significant travel delays are expected before conditions improve Thursday.
The temperature rollercoaster will continue into the weekend, with a brief warm-up, then another shot of chilly weather before a milder pattern takes hold for the start of December.
Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on conditions across Atlantic Canada.