Power outages possible as major winter storm threatens East Coast
A disruptive winter storm eyeing the East Coast to end the weekend will bring widespread heavy snow and ice to the region. Power outages possible, travel disruptions likely
Prepare for a disruptive winter storm to blanket much of Atlantic Canada beginning Sunday afternoon and lasting into the overnight hours.
Very heavy snow in northern New Brunswick will bring some communities 30-40+ cm of snowfall by the time the storm wraps up. Significant icing from freezing rain is possible for portions of Nova Scotia.
DON’T MISS: Freezing rain and ice pellets are dangerous winter hazards
Similar storms in the past have brought localized power outages, minor tree damage, traffic delays and hazardous driving conditions.
Make sure your vehicle is prepared if you absolutely have to travel during hazardous conditions. Stay up-to-date on your local weather alerts, and be sure to check the latest highway conditions before heading out.
Sunday-Monday: Snow, ice begin to push into the Maritimes
Snow will move into the western Maritimes on Sunday afternoon. A messy mix of snow, ice, and rain will blanket the entire region into the overnight hours.
Warm air just above the surface will inch into the Maritimes through Sunday evening, forcing snow to change over to ice pellets in the evening and early overnight for southern New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and eastern Prince Edward Island.
Fredericton, N.B., will see 3-5 hours of snow before switching to ice pellets Sunday evening, only to be followed by patchy freezing rain overnight.
That includes the cities of Halifax, Saint John, and Charlottetown.
Freezing rain, heavy at times, will then move over Nova Scotia and the Bay of Fundy shores, followed by a brief period of regular rain for Nova Scotia early Monday. The heaviest amounts will fall through the southwestern portion of Nova Scotia.
While there’s low confidence in the ice accretion across Nova Scotia, folks throughout the province should prepare for slippery roads and walkways.
Temperatures in western and central Nova Scotia will briefly climb well above the freezing mark after the freezing rain, helping to melt the ice before temperatures drop back below zero throughout Monday.
Power outages are possible due to strong wind gusts and icy power lines. Communities that receive significant accumulations of ice pellets may find that it’ll be very difficult to shovel once it has a chance to freeze solid.
New Brunswick will bear the brunt of the heaviest snowfall, with a threat of 30-40+ cm of snowfall in the northeastern sections of the province, and a wider swath of 20-40 cm that extends into central areas.
Some southern communities could see 20-30 cm, with amounts dropping off as you get close to the southern coastal areas.
Elsewhere in Atlantic Canada, amounts won't be as high but will be hefty in some locales. Parts of P.E.I., eastern Nova Scotia, and northern and western Newfoundland could see 10-20 cm of snowfall.
Snow will then move over Newfoundland Monday morning and continue into the afternoon, with parts of the Burin and Avalon peninsulas receiving some icy precipitation. Flurries will continue into Tuesday.
Very cold weather is expected to return as the storm heads out to sea. Another storm is possible late next week, especially for southern parts of the region.
Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on this approaching winter storm.