Flurries, snow squalls in the Maritimes Thursday night into Friday

Low-pressure system brings flurries, snow squalls CTV Atlantic meteorologist Kalin Mitchell says a low-pressure system brings flurries and snow squalls to the Maritimes Thursday and Friday.

As a low-pressure system slowly moves north of the Maritimes, a gusty, colder westerly wind will continue to drive flurries and snow squalls in the region.

Mix turns to snow Thursday evening

A mix of showers and flurries will persist in the Maritimes through Thursday afternoon. Snow is accumulating in parts of New Brunswick but it is on the wet side. While some surfaces may just be wet or slushy, they could start to accumulate more snow or turn icy as temperatures fall Thursday evening. Most of New Brunswick will be below the freezing mark by 8 p.m.

Both Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island can expect daytime showers to turn to flurries this evening. Low temperatures for those provinces will also fall to near and below freezing Thursday night. Watch for and standing wet surfaces to turn icy by early Friday morning.

Risk of snow squalls

While scattered flurries are expected for much of the Maritimes Thursday and Friday, some areas should watch for snow squalls. Snow squalls are very localized and intense bands of snow. They can bring poor visibility and snow accumulation to one area but then give way to just lighter flurries five minutes down the road.

On Thursday afternoon and evening, the highest risk of snow squalls is in northern and western New Brunswick. The risk of snow squalls increases as temperatures fall Thursday evening. Possible snow amounts of 15-plus cm are being indicated for the hills and mountains in Carleton County and extending north into Madawaska and Restigouche Counties. Be prepared to encounter brief snow squall conditions if travelling any of the roadways that climb into the higher terrain tonight. The risk of snow squalls is expected to be greatly diminished in New Brunswick by early Friday morning.

Overnight and Friday morning the higher risk of snow squalls shifts to the Annapolis Valley and Colchester County. Brief squall like conditions could bring some localized snow amounts of up to 5 cm. A persistent band of snow squalls is being indicated as developing off the Minas Basin and coming onshore near Economy before extending eastward past Debert into the Mt Thom area. Intermittent snow squalls in that area could extending into Friday afternoon and evening. Parts of route 2, 4, 104, and 311 running through that area could all experience snow squall conditions at times through Friday.

First weekend of 2025

The first weekend of the new year starts off with a close call.

A strong ocean storm is expected to develop and hold just far enough east of Nova Scotia not to impact the Maritimes with potentially severe weather conditions Saturday. The storm is expected to go on impact Newfoundland Saturday night and Sunday. Much of Newfoundland under a Special Weather Statement calling for significant snowfall, rainfall and strong wind early Sunday morning until Monday morning. Strong winds that develop across the Cabot Strait due to the storm are likely to impact the ferry route between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland this weekend.

A mix of sun and cloud and chillier temperatures are expected in the Maritimes for Saturday. Day time highs of -4 C to -9 C for New Brunswick, -4 C to +1 C for Nova Scotia and, -2 C to -5 C for Prince Edward Island.

Temperatures fall again into Sunday. A colder and gusty day with flurries and snow squalls will return to Prince Edward Island and eastern areas of Nova Scotia. Inverness and Victoria Counties of Cape Breton will have a higher chance of getting into snow squalls especially for the Highland area. Daytime highs -7 C to -12 C for New Brunswick, -2 C to -7 C for Nova Scotia, and near -5 C for Prince Edward Island.