Weekend nor’easter threatens high winds, heavy snowfall
Prepare for dicey travel and potential power outages as a nor’easter aims for Atlantic Canada late this weekend into early next week
A potent nor’easter is on the way to Atlantic Canada to close out the weekend, threatening much of the region with heavy snowfall and blustery conditions.
Residents should prepare for potential travel issues, including a dicey Monday morning commute, as well as the risk for power outages in areas where winds gust over 100 km/h.
Be sure to keep up with the latest highway conditions before hitting the road.
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Developing storm threatens snow and high winds
The active storm track that’s buffeted the East Coast in recent weeks continues as we head into the second half of January. Several systems are set to swing through the region with gusty winds and the whole spectrum of wintry precipitation.
Forecasters are watching a developing storm off the U.S. East Coast that will affect Atlantic Canada late Sunday and into Monday. This system will rapidly intensify as it approaches the region, potentially meeting weather bomb criteria.
Cold air to the north combined with subtropical moisture pushing in from the south will lead to widespread precipitation spreading over the Maritimes on Sunday and into Newfoundland through the overnight hours.
The precise track of the storm will dictate where the rain/snow line sets up. Right now, it appears that this changeover will occur very close to the coastline in Nova Scotia. As such, expected snowfall totals are lower around Halifax.
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A heavy swath of snow will spread over the Maritimes and then move on to Newfoundland as the storm traverses the area. Widespread totals of 10-20+ cm are expected. Localized totals in excess of 30 cm may fall across higher terrain in western Cape Breton and western Newfoundland.
Warm southerly winds blowing over the Avalon Peninsula will keep precipitation predominantly rainfall, which will limit accumulations around St. John’s to just 3-5 cm.
A rapidly strengthening low-pressure system is a recipe for high wind gusts, especially in Newfoundland, where this will be the latest in a series of windstorms to hit the region lately.
Winds will ramp up through the day Monday across the Avalon Peninsula. Folks in St. John’s could see gusts exceed 100 km/h by the late afternoon hours on Monday.
Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on conditions across Atlantic Canada.