East Coast braces for significant storm with up to 30 cm of snow

This system’s southerly track will place the heaviest snowfall squarely over parts of southern New Brunswick and much of Nova Scotia, and PEI. Peak snowfall rates could reach up to 5 cm per hour at times through Friday overnight and early Saturday morning.

Southeastern portions of Nova Scotia have the chance to transition to rain for part of the event, which could contribute to more of a slushy mess. It’s possible for some ice pellets to also fall in the Halifax area, but the greatest chance for the icy mix will be just east of the city.

There will be a swath of accumulating snow that could range from 15-30 cm over parts of Nova Scotia, PEI, southwest New Brunswick and western Newfoundland.

“Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow,” Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) said in its snowfall warning for Nova Scotia.

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Eastern Newfoundland might see some flurries to start, but rain will be the primary precipitation type for the Avalon.

Western Newfoundland, on the other hand, will be engulfed in snow by Saturday morning, with an area of freezing rain moving northwest through central parts of the island. A snowy, slushy, and icy mix is expected from Gander to Port aux Basques.