Messy Storm Expected Thursday Across Newfoundland and Labrador
It's been a really nice Tuesday across Newfoundland and Labrador — and satellite and radar imagery confirms it. Mostly clear skies, plenty of sunshine, and mild temperatures across much of the province. But don't get too comfortable. A cold front is already slipping across the island, and our next significant weather maker is on its way.
This forecast is sponsored by Bogarts Jewellers!
With gold prices at all-time highs, there's never been a better time to sell your old gold jewellery. Bogart’s Jewellers will buy your gold chains, rings, and even broken jewellery for a cheque or get 30% extra value with store credit. Visit any location for a free estimate, no appointment required.
❄️ Tonight: Colder, with Flurries
That cold front pushing through will make for a noticeably cooler night after what's been a very pleasant day. Expect a few flurries working into central and western areas of the island overnight.
For Labrador, temperatures will take a significant tumble — lows in the west near –30°C, with wind chills as low as –45°C by tomorrow morning.
Because of those dangerous wind chills, Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued a Yellow Level Extreme Cold Warning for parts of Labrador for Wednesday morning. Please take this seriously if you're in the region — limit time outdoors and dress in layers.
🌤️ Wednesday: A Deceptively Nice Day
For most of the province, Wednesday looks quite good — even through the evening hours. Enjoy it while it lasts, because things begin to deteriorate by late Wednesday night.
If you're flying to Toronto, Montreal, or Ottawa on Wednesday, be aware that the developing low-pressure system will be bringing messy weather to southern Ontario, southern Quebec, and parts of Nova Scotia during the day. Allow extra time and check your flight status.
🌨️ Thursday: The Main Event
This is where it gets complicated — and potentially serious in some areas. A low-pressure system developing east of the Rockies will drive a warm front into Newfoundland and Labrador, bringing a mix of snow, freezing rain, and rain depending on where you are.
Environment Canada has issued a Winter Storm Watch for much of central and western Newfoundland, as well as the Northern Peninsula for Thursday.
Here's the breakdown by region:
Northern Peninsula / West Coast (Trout River, Cow Head, Portage Highway, Green Bay – White Bay):
20 to 30 cm of snow, leaning closer to 20 cm
Followed by hours of significant freezing rain
Expect difficult travel and possible power outages
Central Newfoundland (Grand Falls-Windsor, Gander, New West Valley, Buchans):
10 to 20 cm of snow before a change
6 to 15 mm of freezing rain through midday Thursday — this is the area I'm most concerned about
Power outages are possible with ice accumulations of this magnitude
Corner Brook / Deer Lake / Humber Valley:
Snow, then a significant period of freezing rain
6 to 15 mm of ice accumulation — enough to cause utility damage and downed trees
Bay St. George / Port aux Basques:
10 to 20 cm of snow, then a change to up to 50 mm of rain Thursday evening
Bonavista Peninsula / Terra Nova / Clarenville:
Special weather statement in effect
A period of snow, followed by a few hours of freezing rain Thursday
Labrador West:
20 to 30 cm of snow
Stays primarily snow in southeast Labrador
Avalon Peninsula:
Not currently under a weather alert — but don't count it out
Expect a brief period of snow Thursday morning, some ice, and then a change to wind and rain
Windy and rainy for most of Thursday
Freezing Rain Concern
The freezing rain is the part of this system I'm most focused on. For a wide swath from New-Wes-Valley back through Grand Falls-Windsor, Gander, and into the Deer Lake and Corner Brook areas, we could see 6 to 15+ millimetres of freezing rain. That's enough ice to accumulate on power lines and trees in what's called "radial ice" — where ice coats everything in all directions, adding significant weight.
At these amounts, power outages become a real possibility. Have a plan, charge your devices Wednesday night, and keep an eye on updates from your utility provider.
📅 7-Day Forecast at a Glance
After Thursday's system clears:
Eastern areas will be quite mild by Friday — 6 to 8°C, dropping back near zero for the weekend, and potentially back up to 9°C by next Tuesday
Western Newfoundland sees snow Thursday, then some freezing drizzle and a chance of snow Friday, cooler for the weekend
Northern Peninsula — a bit of a rollercoaster, but milder by next Tuesday around 4°C
Southern Labrador — snow Thursday, then a mix of rain and snow Sunday through Tuesday
Northern Labrador / Lab West / Goose Bay — stays cold with chances for light snow Friday and again early next week
I’ll have my next update posted tomorrow morning!
📱 Get the Sheerr Weather App in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
🗺️ Check out the Map Room to see all the latest weather observations for the Province.
🎥 Check out the Provincial Highway Cams to see 👀 what’s going on around our highways and byways!
