Kalin's Call: Special weather statements remain in effect for all three Maritime provinces
A low-pressure system east of Florida will merge with a cold front to develop into a powerful winter storm that will move northward, just off the eastern U.S. seaboard, before crossing Nova Scotia into the Gulf of St. Lawrence by Sunday.
The central pressure of the storm, a measure of its strength, will fall rapidly Friday into Saturday - classic nor’easter development. You may hear this system referred to as a “weather bomb” which is a reference to the speed at which it develops, including a drop of central pressure by more than 24 millibars in 24 hours.
Weather conditions deteriorate in the Maritimes Saturday morning through afternoon.
Heavier snow arrives for Nova Scotia Saturday morning. Heavier snow reaches New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island Saturday afternoon. Much of Nova Scotia turns through ice pellets and freezing rain, to rain Saturday afternoon. Ice pellets, freezing rain, and rain mixing in for P.E.I. Saturday evening. Snow continues for New Brunswick into Sunday morning. The mix of precipitation in the Maritimes clears west-to-east Sunday morning and afternoon. A quick fall in temperatures, back below zero, on Sunday for Nova Scotia and P.E.I. will turn wet and slushy surfaces to ice.
The centre of the storm passes near the South Shore of Nova Scotia before crossing northern areas of that province and P.E.I. on the way into the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
The track of the storm looks like it will hug the South Shore of Nova Scotia before crossing the north of the mainland and P.E.I. on the way into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. That passage is favourable for higher snowfall totals in western/northern Nova Scotia, southern/eastern New Brunswick, as well as P.E.I. Snow accumulation tapers lower towards the Atlantic coastline of Nova Scotia and the east of the province, including Cape Breton, as a quicker turn to rain will occur. Snowfall will taper lower into the northwest of New Brunswick being on the fringe of the storm.
Localized flooding is a risk where the system turns to heavy rain for Nova Scotia. The ground is frozen and drainage systems may be blocked by snow and ice.
The most snow accumulation still looks likely in western/northern Nova Scotia, southern/eastern New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.
Living up to the name, there will be a period of stronger winds from the north and northeast during the passage of the nor’easter. Expect those winds to ramp up Saturday afternoon into night. Widespread gusts of 50 to 80 km/h can be expected with exposed areas of the coast peaking 80 to 100 km/h. Northern Inverness County in Cape Breton will hit gusts above 100 km/h Saturday evening and night due to the topography of the Highlands. Visibility will be reduced in blowing snow and rain. You may want to plan to avoid or limit unnecessary travel Saturday afternoon and night if you are in an area expecting the heavier snow or heavier mix of precipitation.
Winds will turn northwest and west on Sunday diminishing through the day.
A period of strong northeast winds is expected late Saturday afternoon, evening, and night.
Special Weather Statements remain in effect for all three Maritime provinces. In the statements, Environment Canada advised the public to monitor the forecast and any weather alerts issued in the coming days. I’ll have daily updates on CTV Atlantic news programming and online.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
It could take years to catch up on child vaccinations in Ontario post-pandemic
Ontario is still playing catch up on routine vaccinations that many children missed during the pandemic and public health officials are warning that it could take years to solve the problem.