Snowfall warning issued in Nova Scotia, snow also expected in N.B. and P.E.I.

CTV Meteorologist Kalin Mitchell has a detailed look at the timing and snow amounts as an Alberta Clipper passes by the Maritimes on Wednesday.

An Alberta Clipper will pass south and east of Nova Scotia on Wednesday. Snow from the system will build into the Maritimes, with the most snow expected in Nova Scotia, where snowfall warnings and special weather statements are in effect.

Weather alerts

A yellow snowfall warning was issued Tuesday afternoon for Nova Scotia’s South Shore, Halifax County, Guysborough County, Pictou County, and Antigonish County.

The warning is valid from Wednesday morning until Thursday morning. Total snow amounts of 15 to 20 cm are expected during that time.

Environment Canada cautions that “roads and walkways will likely be difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow” and that “there may be a significant impact on rush hour traffic.”

The agency also mentions that local power outages are possible, likely due to the expectation that the snow will be compact and heavy and could weigh down tree branches.

A special weather statement continues for Yarmouth County, Digby County, the Annapolis Valley, and southern Colchester County. A potential snowfall of 10 to 15 cm is expected in those areas.

A special weather statement is also in effect for southern Inverness, Richmond, and Cape Breton Counties in Cape Breton, where 10 to 15 cm of snow with higher amounts is possible.

The snow won’t start for much of Cape Breton until Wednesday evening, so I expect it is still possible that parts of the island will be placed under a snowfall warning in later updates by Environment Canada.

Snowfall Outlook

I’m expecting a broad 10-to-20 cm snowfall for much of Nova Scotia. As mentioned above, the snow will be compact and heavy by weight due to temperatures rising to near, or just above, freezing as the snow comes down. I also can’t rule out some pockets of 20-to-30 cm along the eastern Atlantic coastline of Nova Scotia.

Much of Prince Edward Island could pick up 5-to-10 cm of snow. There is a chance that some of the heavier bands of snow in eastern Nova Scotia Wednesday night reach the southeastern corner of P.E.I. If that happens, communities such as Wood Islands and Murray Harbour could pick up some amounts that climb above 10 cm.

Southern areas of New Brunswick could also pick up snow amounts of 5-to-10 cm. The rest of New Brunswick will see periods of relatively lighter snow totalling two-to-five centimetres.

Timing and wind

The snow will begin overnight in western areas of New Brunswick and the southwest of Nova Scotia. That part of the Maritimes will be off to a snowy start on Wednesday. The snow will then develop across the region Wednesday morning through Wednesday afternoon.

A band of heavier snow is indicated as arriving in Halifax and Guysborough counties early Wednesday evening. That band of heavier snow will then spread across eastern Nova Scotia and into parts of Cape Breton Wednesday evening and night. That snow may linger in Cape Breton to start Thursday morning.

The remainder of the Maritimes should see snow ease to flurries or a chance of flurries Wednesday evening and night.

Wind is not expected to be overly strong. Initially from the east and southeast during the day on Wednesday it becomes northerly Wednesday evening and night. Peak wind gusts of 20-to-50 km/h are expected for most of the Maritimes, except peak gusts of 40-to-60 km/h for eastern Nova Scotia Wednesday night.