Texas low will bring mix of rain and snow to Maritimes Thursday and Friday

A pedestrian makes their way through a snowstorm in Halifax on Tuesday, January 31, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese)

A Texas low moving through Ontario into the St. Lawrence River Valley Thursday night into Friday will bring weather fronts, including one with milder air from the US eastern seaboard, across the Maritimes.

The milder air will cause a mix of precipitation for a large portion of the Maritimes.

Special weather statements have been issued by Environment Canada for both New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

Special weather statements are in effect for both New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island ahead of a mix of snow, ice pellets, freezing rain, and rain arriving Thursday night into Friday.

The statement for New Brunswick calls for snow amounts of 15 to 25 cm for northern areas of the province. Central and southern areas of New Brunswick will see accumulations of five to 10 cm of snow and ice pellets followed by some freezing rain and rain.

For Prince Edward Island, five to 10 cm of snow and ice pellets are expected, before a similar turn to freezing rain and rain.

Travel could become difficult in both provinces on Friday.

Nova Scotia is not currently under a statement, but guidance shows that most of the province can expect two to five cm of snow before it turns to rain. Higher snow amounts of five to 10 cm are possible at higher terrain and in Cape Breton. The rain following the snow looks to range from five to 15 mm.

The most snow accumulation will be in northern areas of New Brunswick. Other areas of the Maritimes will see snow turn to freezing rain and rain.

The snow is expected to be into western New Brunswick and western Nova Scotia roughly a few hours after midnight Thursday into Friday. Snow will reach eastern New Brunswick, eastern Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island before sunrise Friday.

Friday morning will see the snow turn to freezing rain and rain for all but northern areas of New Brunswick. Snow and rain will gradually end west to east Friday evening. A chance of flurries lingers Friday night into Saturday.

Friday morning commutes could be slippery in the Maritimes, though a turn to rain will already be taking place in southwestern New Brunswick and western Nova Scotia.

The change from snow to rain will be accompanied by a south-turning southwest wind. That wind will increase to become sustained at 20 to 30 km/h with gusts of 30 to 60 km/h on Friday. With northern New Brunswick not switching over to the south wind, colder air will stay in place, which is why that part of the region will pick up more snow.

Wind will turn northwest and diminish for the region Friday night into Saturday morning.