Snowfall warnings issued for Cape Breton as cold front moves across the region

A person clears snow with a snowblower following a major winter storm in Halifax on Friday, March 3, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese)

A cold front bringing in a mix of snow and rain will continue into eastern parts of the Maritimes Thursday evening and night.

The inclement weather has come with squall-like conditions, producing brief periods of heavier snow, reducing visibility and creating some accumulation. The system slows Thursday night in the vicinity of Cape Breton, keeping that part of the Maritimes in a more prolonged period of snow.

Snow advances into eastern areas of the Maritimes Thursday evening and night along with the cold front.

Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning for Cape Breton. The warning cautions on snow amounts of 10 to 20 cm Thursday night through Friday morning. The agency also remarks, “the snowfall will likely be quite variable across the Island.”

A Snowfall warning is in effect for Cape Breton.

Cape Breton has had more than its share of snow this March. The Sydney Airport reporting 81 cm so far, with the 30-year climate average for the month at 48 cm.The weather station at North Mountain in Victoria County is reporting 142 cm of snow on the ground, which does trail the record of 217 cm reported at the site on March 30, 2001.

The spring snow has been a boon for some of the ski areas in Cape Breton with Ski Cape Smokey remaining open into Easter weekend.

Friday morning, snow in Cape Breton is expected to ease to a chance of flurries by the afternoon.

Some of the more mountainous terrain in northern New Brunswick along with Cape Breton are the areas in the Maritimes most likely to see a snowfall of 10+ cm.

The next weather system to impact the Maritimes will arrive on the weekend. A strong low will move from southern Ontario and into the St. Lawrence River Valley.

The weather fronts from the system will come across the Maritimes Saturday into Sunday. Snow turning to rain will develop across the region, west-to-east, Saturday morning into the afternoon.

The snow may accumulate a slushy five to 10 cm in northern areas of New Brunswick. Scattered showers and flurries will linger in the wake of the system on Sunday along with a gusty northwest wind.

Forecast updates and regional weather conditions on CTV News Atlantic 5, 6, and 11:30 p.m.