Winter Storm Threat Across the Maritimes on Wednesday With Significant Snow, Wind & Rain
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The storm that has already brought a diverse range of precipitation to Ontario on Tuesday is set to continue its eastward journey, bringing with it a mix of heavy rain, snow, and the potential for mixed precipitation to the Maritimes. Accompanying these are strong wind gusts expected throughout Wednesday.
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Initially, as the storm enters the region shortly after midnight, Western Nova Scotia and Southwestern New Brunswick will experience snowfall. This snow is predicted to spread across the Maritimes during the early morning hours. However, in Western Nova Scotia, the snow will soon transition into rain, and this area is likely to experience rain predominantly throughout the day.
As the morning progresses, this change from snow to rain will gradually move eastwards, reaching Central Nova Scotia, including Halifax, and Southwestern New Brunswick.
Meanwhile, light snow is expected in the rest of the Maritimes, except for Northern New Brunswick. Here, heavier snowfall is anticipated, particularly in the Acadian Peninsula, where snow could fall at rates of up to 4cm per hour.
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In the afternoon, rain will become the primary form of precipitation across most of mainland Nova Scotia and Southern New Brunswick. It is during this time that regions like Prince Edward Island, Central New Brunswick, and most of Cape Breton Island will witness the transition from snow to rain.
However, the Cape Breton Highlands will continue to experience snow for most of the afternoon. Northern New Brunswick will also see persistent, occasionally heavy, snowfall during the afternoon, leading to significant snow accumulations in this area.
Along the Atlantic Coast of Nova Scotia, expect heavy rain with up to 30mm anticipated.
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The evening will bring changes as well, with areas like the Cape Breton Highlands and Northern New Brunswick finally transitioning from snow to rain. However, rainfall in these regions is expected to be brief and light before the storm dissipates.
Contrastingly, the Acadian Peninsula, including locales such as Bathurst and Miramichi, will likely see little to no rain before the storm's end. This area could accumulate over 20cm of snow by day's end.
With the day's transitions from snow to rain, there's a potential for a brief period of freezing rain or ice pellets. However, any freezing precipitation is expected to be minimal and short-lived, owing to rapidly rising temperatures. Additionally, strong, potentially damaging winds will be a significant factor in this storm.
Widespread gusts of up to 100km/h, and even higher in coastal areas, are anticipated. These strong winds may lead to power outages resulting from downed lines and tree limbs, and the saturated ground increases the likelihood of uprooted trees.
