Long-duration snowstorm on the way for the Maritimes

A large winter storm is forecast to bring significant snowfall and strong winds to the Maritimes beginning Sunday night and continuing through Tuesday.

Winter Storm to Impact Maritimes

The slow-moving system will bring snow, wind and blowing snow beginning Sunday night and continuing to Monday night before tapering off to flurries through Tuesday.

Snowfall totals are expected to be in the 25 to 40 cm range for Nova Scotia by the time the system pulls away on Tuesday. Amounts will drop to the north, but a significant snowfall of 15 to 25 cm is also expected across southern New Brunswick, with the possibility of some higher totals near 30 cm along the Fundy coastline.

The snow will be more light and fluffy in nature than some of the previous storms this winter, which will be helpful given the likelihood of multiple shoveling sessions over the next couple of days. However, the lighter snow is more likely to blow and drift around, causing drifting in driveways and across roads and highways, especially in open and exposed areas. Winds will be gusting 50 to 70+ km/h for much of the region, with the strongest gusts expected in southwest Nova Scotia.

Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued Yellow Alert Winter Storm Warnings and Snowfall Warnings for much of the region.

Timeline

The snow will arrive in southwestern areas on Sunday evening and then move east across the Maritimes throughout Sunday night and into early Monday morning. The heaviest snowfall rates are expected across the southwestern half of Nova Scotia on Sunday night and Monday morning, with accumulating snowfall rates of two to four centimetres per hour.

The Monday morning commute will be snowy across the region, particularly across mainland Nova Scotia and southern New Brunswick. Snow will ramp up throughout the morning for Cape Breton, P.E.I. and northern Nova Scotia. Winds will pick up Sunday night, with blowing and drifting likely during the Monday morning commute, especially over exposed areas.

Light to moderate snowfall will continue throughout the day on Monday across most of the Maritimes, with more blowing and drifting snow. The heaviest snowfall rates are likely across northern Nova Scotia and southern New Brunswick during the Monday afternoon, evening and overnight hours.

As the system moves east, the snow will taper to flurries from west to east. Western areas of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick will see the snow taper to flurries overnight Monday and into early Tuesday. Central Nova Scotia and eastern New Brunswick, followed by eastern Nova Scotia, will taper to flurries throughout mid-late Tuesday morning and early afternoon. Gusty northwest winds will bring continued blowing, drifting and the possibility of onshore flurries right through Tuesday afternoon and evening for Nova Scotia, especially northern Cape Breton where stronger winds may bring snow squalls into Tuesday night.