Potent 'weather bomb' to track south of Newfoundland with a wintry blast
Brace for a difficult travel day on Friday as heavy snow and winds blast through Newfoundland
Special weather statements are in effect for a powerful system that threatens snow and blowing snow over Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula.
The system will intensify as it approaches Atlantic Canada, tracking south of the Maritimes Thursday overnight, and just south of Newfoundland on Friday.
The storm will undergo bombogenesis late Thursday and into Friday, peaking in strength south of Newfoundland. The ultimate track will determine overall snowfall totals for the region, but at this point, it looks like 10-20 cm could fall including in St. John's.
DON’T MISS: Freezing rain and ice pellets are dangerous winter hazards
Make sure you stay up-to-date on your local weather alerts, and be sure to check the latest highway conditions before heading out.
Storm swerves the Maritimes, but heavy snow threat for Newfoundland Friday
This storm is practically a miss for the Maritimes, with less than 5 cm of snow expected along the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia. As the system strengthens south of Newfoundland however, heavy snow and powerful winds are expected through the day on Friday.
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The storm will reach 'weather bomb' status, with the rapid intensification of at least 24 mb in 24 hours. The lower the central pressure of a storm, and the faster the intensification, the stronger the winds it generates.
This has been a difficult forecast since the start, as a 100 km difference in the track could make or break the outcome in St. John’s. Confidence is increasing with the latest computer models however, with accumulating snowfall more likely to hit the Avalon Peninsula.
Snowfall on the Avalon will range from 10-20 cm, from west to east, with St. John’s forecast to pick up near 20 cm through Friday. Peak snowfall rates will hit through the afternoon, before gradually easing late Friday night.
Although the strongest winds will remain offshore, coastal areas of the Avalon can expect gusts between 60-80 km/h Friday afternoon and night.
Sustained winds over 40 km/h, combined with the freshly fallen snow, will create hazardous travel, and perhaps even blizzard-like conditions. Similar storms in the past have caused hazardous driving conditions and the cancellation of scheduled activities, according to the special weather statement from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC).
After a sluggish start to winter, February has been trying to bring St. John’s snowfall up to "normal."
As of Feb. 18, 86.6 cm of snow has fallen this month––more than the 72.2 cm that fell from October 2024 to January 2025 combined.
Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on the snow scenario unfolding for Newfoundland.