Snowfall warnings and weather statements for the Maritimes ahead of Friday wintry mix

Thursday is an unusually warm February day for the Maritimes. Most high temperatures will reach the mid-to-high single digits and some into the low-teens. There will be some record-high temperatures set for a Feb. 16, though that won’t be able to be checked until Thursday evening. Take a few minutes longer outside and consider getting a few more errands done because a wintry mix of weather returns on Friday.

Snowfall and freezing rain warnings are in effect for much of New Brunswick. The Snowfall warnings are calling for total snow and ice pellet accumulation of 15 to 25 cm. A Snowfall warning has also been issued for Prince Edward Island calling for 15 to 25 cm.

A Freezing rain warning is in effect for Nova Scotia except for Digby, Yarmouth, Shelburne, and Queens Counties in the southeast where more rain is expected. Northern Inverness and Victoria counties are also not under the freezing rain warning but those areas should expect a mix of snow and ice pellets with a risk of some freezing rain mixing in.

The snow, ice pellets, freezing rain, and rain will be the result of a Texas low. Here’s an outlook through Friday:

Snowfall warnings and special weather statements extend across the Maritimes. Check the latest information in the alert in effect for your area as the weather conditions, and impacts, will be varied across the region Friday.

FRIDAY MORNING

By sunrise Friday, an accumulating mix of snow and ice pellets will already be falling across New Brunswick and building into Prince Edward Island. There is a risk of freezing rain along the Bay of Fundy coastline in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and northern/eastern areas of Nova Scotia, including the North Shore into Cape Breton.

The rest of Nova Scotia will see rain develop through the morning as temperatures initially remain above freezing. It won’t take long for the rate of snowfall and ice pellets to be enough to gather on surfaces, such as roads, creating slippery conditions.

FRIDAY AFTERNOON

Snow and ice pellets will continue to accumulate in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island Friday afternoon. A mix of ice pellets and freezing rain is expected for Cumberland/Colchester Counties, the North Shore, and much of Cape Breton, though it may still be just rain around the Atlantic coastline of the island. Rain will continue to fall across the remainder of mainland Nova Scotia. The precipitation will be steady for most, though it will turn lighter for northern areas of New Brunswick moving through the afternoon.

FRIDAY EVENING

Snow and ice pellets will continue to fall in New Brunswick in the evening, but will be lighter in northern and central parts of the province. Prince Edward Island will continue to see accumulating snow and ice pellets. The rain will start to turn to freezing rain and ice pellets in Nova Scotia. Atlantic coastal areas of Nova Scotia should get into the icy precipitation between 8 p.m. and midnight. During the overnight hours, light snow will end for New Brunswick, snow will ease to flurries for Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia will turn to scattered light snow and flurries that should end for most before noon on Saturday.

SNOW AND ICE

Much of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and northern Inverness/Victoria Counties in Cape Breton will pick up 10-20 cm of snow and ice pellets. Higher snow and ice pellet accumulations of 20-30 cm look possible in a band across central New Brunswick and east into Prince County, P.E.I. Snow accumulation should be a bit lower towards Saint John and the Bay of Fundy coastline, with more freezing rain and ice pellets expected before a turn to snow. Five to 10 cm of snow and ice pellets could eventually add up in northern and eastern areas of Nova Scotia. Rain, freezing rain, and ice pellets are expected initially for those areas followed by a turn to snow Friday evening. The remainder of Nova Scotia should get about 5-15 mm of rain and freezing rain then about 2-5 cm of snow early Saturday morning.

The most snow and ice pellet accumulation is expected in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. There is a risk of freezing rain across southern New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia.”>

WIND

Wind isn’t expected to be a major component of the Friday weather. It is variable in direction across the region with most gusts peaking in a range of 30-50 km/h during the day on Friday. A northerly wind Friday night in Saturday morning will hit some slightly higher gusts of 40-60 km/h. Keep in mind that in this type of snowy, icy mix we are more likely to see weight added to tree branches and power infrastructure. That could increase the impact of the wind and create a risk of power outages.