Rainfall warnings of up to 80 mm among weather alerts in effect for 6 provinces

The Toronto skyline sits shrouded in fog as a man walks in the rain on Thursday December 28, 2023.(Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press)

According to CTV Your Morning meteorologist Kelsey McEwen, heavy rain will move up to the East Coast Thursday, bringing a risk of flooding to Atlantic Canada.

Environment Canada said 30 to 80 millimetres of precipitation is possible for parts of New Brunswick Thursday through Saturday, with the highest amounts expected along the Fundy Coast. The northern regions of the province should expect less rain – approximately 30 to 50 mm – before precipitation becomes snow from Friday evening to Saturday morning.

Up to 80 mm of rain is forecast in Nova Scotia, and parts of Newfoundland and Labrador could see as much as 70 mm. The rain is expected to continue Friday and into Saturday.

Prince Edward Island is also under a rainfall warning with 25 to 35 mm expected from Thursday evening to Saturday morning.

Residents along the southern shore of the St. Lawrence River, Cote-Nord and the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec are warned to watch out for as much as 50 mm of rain Thursday through Saturday, McEwen said.

In Ontario, communities on the northeast shoreline of Lake Superior are told by Environment Canada officials to expect snow squalls, bringing 15 to 25 centimetres of snow in some areas. The highest amounts are likely to be south of Wawa, Ont., McEwen said. These warnings were expected to end Thursday evening.

No alerts are in effect for Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Northern Canada. In Alberta, a snowfall warning was issued Thursday morning for the Hinton-Grande Cache area, with up to 15 cm possible Thursday and more snow in the forecast Friday, but this warning was lifted later in the day.

Air quality statements were also lifted in B.C. after some regions, including Prince George and Stuart Nechako, enacted fire bans due to dry conditions. The dust advisory was to remain in place until there was rain, dust suppression or a change in traffic patterns, Environment Canada said.