Kalin's call: Nor'easter expected to bring heavy snow to Maritimes this weekend
An area of low pressure originating off the coastline of Florida will merge with a cold front on Friday. The resulting storm will rapidly strengthen into a nor’easter, which will move north to impact the Maritimes Saturday into Sunday.
Much of the Maritimes will have to contend with a period of heavy snow with some areas turning through ice pellets to rain. High and gusty winds will create blowing snow and give a risk of power outages for some areas.
Special weather statements cautioning on the inclement weather have been issued by Environment Canada for all three Maritime provinces.
Heavy snow is expected to arrive in Nova Scotia Saturday morning, and will arrive Saturday afternoon for New Brunswick and P.E.I.
Heavy snow will develop Saturday morning for Nova Scotia, and will arrive Saturday afternoon for New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.
By Saturday evening, much of Nova Scotia will have turned through a period of ice pellets to rain. P.E.I. can expect ice pellets and rain to mix in Saturday night. Snow will continue in New Brunswick into Sunday morning.
The mix of precipitation will clear the Maritimes through the day on Sunday. Temperatures will fall back below freezing for Nova Scotia and P.E.I. quickly on Sunday, with wet or slushy surfaces turning icy.
By Saturday evening, Nova Scotia will be in a mix of snow, ice pellets, and rain. Mixed precipitation is also likely for P.E.I. Saturday night.
In the above scenario, the most snow and ice pellet accumulation would be in western/northern Nova Scotia, southern/eastern New Brunswick, and P.E.I. Snowfall totals would diminish towards the Atlantic coastline and eastern areas of Nova Scotia with a quicker turn to rain.
Snowfall totals would diminish into northwestern New Brunswick being on the fringe of the storm. Areas experiencing the turn to rain would have a risk of localized flooding as the rain could total 10 to 40 mm and combine with snow melt.
Drainage systems may be blocked with snow and ice.
There is time for change, but as it stands western/northern Nova Scotia, southern/eastern New Brunswick, and P.E.I. are likely to see the highest snow totals.
A period of northeast and east winds peaking with gusts 60 to 90 km/h is likely Saturday afternoon into night. Where snow is falling heavily, visibility may be reduced to white-out conditions. Wind will turn westerly for Sunday and diminish through the day.
We are still sitting nearly three days out from the start of the storm. There is time to see significant change in the forecast. A pass of the system further east of the Atlantic coastline of Nova Scotia would result in an increase in the snow forecast for that province and lower totals for New Brunswick and P.E.I.
It is strongly recommended that you check frequently in on the weekend forecast through the end of this week.
CTV Chief Meteorologist Kalin Mitchell will have daily updates on the storm on CTV Atlantic news programs, as well as online.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
Bayer recalls hydraSense baby product over 'potential contamination'
Bayer announced Thursday it is recalling two lots of its hydraSense Baby Nasal Care Easydose due to a potential contamination.
N.L. gardening store revives 19th century seed-packing machine
Technology from the 19th century has been brought out of retirement at a Newfoundland gardening store, as staff look for all the help they can get to fill orders during a busy season.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.