Cold front to sweep mix of snow, rain across the Maritimes Thursday

A low-pressure system moving north of the St. Lawrence River valley will sweep a cold front across the Maritimes on Thursday. The front will bring a mixture of rain and snow with a chance that eastern areas of Nova Scotia could see lingering snow into Friday.

The sweeping arc of the cloud associated with the cold front is pictured as it moves into southern Ontario on satellite imagery. (Courtesy: College of DuPage)The snow arrives for the westernmost communities of New Brunswick between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. Thursday. By the afternoon, snow will have filled in across New Brunswick with a mix of rain and snow in western Nova Scotia. Thursday evening will see snow in Prince Edward Island and eastern Nova Scotia, including Cape Breton. There will be a chance of flurries for most of the Maritimes Thursday night but with lingering snow expected for eastern areas of Nova Scotia into Friday morning.

A mix of snow and rain develops across the western half of the Maritimes Thursday morning into afternoon.A large area of the Maritimes will likely see a snowfall of five cm or less on Thursday. Exceptions include the northwestern corner of New Brunswick where five to 10 cm, with 10 to 15 cm in higher terrain, looks likely. Five to 10 cm of snow also looks possible for Charlottetown and east in P.E.I. and on the North Shore of mainland Nova Scotia. With snow lingering into Friday morning, 10 to 15 cm may end up falling from Antigonish across the causeway into Cape Breton, with amounts lowering to near five cm or less for coastal areas of Inverness County, Cape Breton. There is a risk there will be further accumulating snow for Cape Breton through the day on Friday.

Given the strength of the weather front, higher precipitation rates are possible as it moves through. The snow or rain-snow mix may come down heavy for a period of time. Be cautious of reduced visibility if travelling through the snow or rain.

Locally higher snow amounts are possible in the northwest of New Brunswick as well as eastern areas of P.E.I. and N.S. where the snow may linger into Friday morning.Gusty winds will accompany the passage of the front. Initially from the south on Thursday, peak gusts could reach 40 to 60 km/h. After the front goes through, the wind direction will change to northwest with further gusts of 40 to 60 km/h, while exposed areas of the coast in southwestern Nova Scotia will see some peak gusts of 50 to 70 km/h Thursday night into early Friday morning. The change to a northwest wind will knock low temperatures down a few to several degrees below freezing Thursday night. Wet or slushy surfaces could turn icy Friday morning.

Scattered flurries are expected for much of the Maritimes Thursday night. Steady and accumulating snow will continue for eastern P.E.I. and eastern areas of N.S., including Cape Breton. There will also be gusty winds around the front.I’ll have more on the timing of the cold front, regional conditions, and forecast updates on CTV News Atlantic 5, 6, and 11:30 p.m.