A rapidly intensifying low-pressure system, likely meeting the criteria for a weather bomb, will bring heavy snow, strong winds and mixed precipitation to parts Atlantic Canada this weekend. Snow will spread across the southern Maritimes late Saturday afternoon and evening, picking up in intensity through the overnight hours before moving into Newfoundland on Sunday. More on the timing and impact expected, below.
WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS
- Storm moves into the Maritimes late Saturday, Newfoundland by Sunday morning
- Heaviest snow in eastern Nova Scotia and western Newfoundland, though with a switchover to rain for the island
- Groundhog Day event at Shubenacadie Wildlife Park has been cancelled for Sunday
- Stay up-to-date on the ALERTS in your area
SATURDAY: STORM MOVES IN LATE DAY
Saturday will feature the same mild temperatures that saw out the week, but by the evening hours, the effects of a powerful nor’easter will begin to spread across the region.
The snow will begin in the early evening hours for coastal sections of Nova Scotia, spreading across much of the eastern half of the province by the late evening. Most of the Maritimes’ snowfall looks to be confined to eastern Nova Scotia and parts of Prince Edward Island.
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But the snowfall will intensify through the evening and continue into the overnight as well. Winds will also pick up as well, with particularly strong gusts expected near the coasts beginning early Sunday.
Heavier amounts between 20-30+ cm threaten Cape Breton Island and west/central sections of Newfoundland, but models have backed off on significant amounts for the rest of Nova Scotia, which will see significantly less than initially expected.
WATCH BELOW: GROUNDHOG DAY FESTIVITIES CANCELLED IN SHUBENACADIE DUE TO WINTER CONDITIONS
SUNDAY: STORM PUSHES INTO NEWFOUNDLAND WITH SNOW TO START
The system will begin to spread snow across Newfoundland through the pre-dawn hours on Sunday, while easing across the Maritimes.
The snow won’t be as heavy there as in the Maritimes, but eastern parts of the island could certainly pick up some significant accumulations.
By Sunday afternoon, milder air reaches the Burin and Avalon peninsulas, allowing for a transition from snow to rain. Precipitation eases through the overnight period.
Though the winds will be easing for the Maritimes, they’ll pick up in Newfoundland through Sunday, with the strongest gusts likely reaching the 80-100+ km/h range.
This storm is likely to qualify as a ‘weather bomb,’ undergoing a drop in pressure of at least 24 millibars in 24 hours, which typically manifests as very strong winds.
“We’ll see an extended period of messy weather with snow, ice and rain persist into mid and late next week with several systems tracking along a boundary separating cold air to the north and milder air to the south,” adds meteorologist Dr. Doug Gillham.
