Snow piles up in Cape Breton; weekend weather rainy and windy
March weather was out like a lion for Cape Breton. The Island was thumped by another heavy, spring snowfall Thursday into Friday. Friday morning reports from a network of volunteer observers came in with amounts of 10 to 20 cm, with snow still falling and accumulating. By noon on Friday, I had unofficial reports from several communities in Cape Breton that new snow totalled 20 to 30 cm.
The cold front brought in snow amounts ranging from a trace up to several centimetres for other areas of the Maritimes on Thursday. Some locally higher amounts of near 10 cm reported on parts of the North Shore of mainland Nova Scotia. The snow came in the form of squalls which reduced visibility for periods of time leading to tricky driving conditions.
Snowfall for much of the Maritimes ranged from trace amounts up to several centimetres. Snow continued into Friday for Cape Breton with sources on the Island reporting amounts of 10 to 30 cm.
No April fool’s joke, another round of inclement weather is headed into the Maritimes this weekend.
This next weather maker is a strong low pressure system in the mid-western US. The centre of the storm will move into the St. Lawrence River Valley but the associated weather fronts will push into the Maritimes on Saturday. The system is triggering severe thunderstorms with a risk of tornadoes in the United States but for the Maritimes it will be snow turning to rain accompanied by gusty winds.
Snow turning to rain develops across the Maritimes, southwest to northeast, Saturday morning into afternoon.
Snow will start before sunrise on Saturday in the southwest of New Brunswick and the southwest of Nova Scotia. The snow will then turn to rain and spread across the region by early Saturday afternoon. Initial snow before the rain is expected to be limited to up to a few centimetres for most. Parts of northern New Brunswick could pick up a slushy 5 to 10 cm before a switch to rain. Rain totals of 5 to 15 mm expected except 15 to 30 mm for the tri-county region of southwestern Nova Scotia. Precipitation will ease to scattered showers and flurries Saturday night.
The change to rain is expected to be quick enough to limit snow for most of the region. Parts of northern New Brunswick might pick up 5 to 10 cm of slushy snow.
A gusty southerly wind will accompany the snow turning to rain. Gusts on Saturday will peak between 30 and 60 km/h. The wind becomes westerly on Sunday in the wake of the system and is expected to reach gusts of 40 to 70 km/h. The wind is forecast to diminish Sunday night. The west wind will bring in some colder air off the continent and low temperatures Sunday night are expected to be below freezing across the region. Wet surfaces could turn icy as a result.
Forecast updates and regional weather conditions on CTV News Atlantic 5, 6, and 11:30 PM.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau says fall of Assad 'ends decades of brutal oppression' for Syria
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says a new chapter for Syria can begin that's free of terrorism and suffering for its people.
Baby found dead in south Edmonton parking lot: police
Police are investigating the death of an infant in south Edmonton.
Trump calls for immediate cease-fire in Ukraine and says a U.S. withdrawal from NATO is possible
Donald Trump on Sunday pushed Russian leader Vladimir Putin to act to reach an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine, describing it as part of his active efforts as U.S. president-elect to end the war despite being weeks from taking office.
Quebec Premier meets with Trump, Zelenskyy and Musk during Paris trip
Quebec Premier François Legault met up with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. president-elect Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk while visiting Paris this weekend.
Do you recognize these men? RCMP seek Metro Vancouver grandparent scam suspects
Mounties in Metro Vancouver have released photos of two men alleged to have been involved in “numerous” so-called grandparent scams earlier this year, hoping the public can help identify them.
Russian state news agencies say ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad is in Moscow and given asylum
Ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad fled to Moscow on Sunday, Russian media reported, hours after a stunning rebel advance took over the capital of Damascus and ended the Assad family's 50 years of iron rule.
A man, a bike and a gun: Police search for evidence to solve the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO on the streets of New York
As the investigation into the fatal shooting of a health care executive in Manhattan enters its fifth day, police are missing key pieces of evidence and are combing through what they have gathered for more clues, as the suspect remains on the run.
Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise U.S. prices and promises swift immigration action
Donald Trump said he can't guarantee that his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won't raise prices for American consumers and he suggested once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned.
Birds, plants, insects join list of 860 at-risk Canadian species
Last month's meeting of the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) assessed four new species to be actively endangered, bringing the total of known at-risk species to 860, nationwide.