Snow Continues Wednesday Afternoon Ahead of Thursday’s Arctic Blast
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Snow rolled into many parts of Newfoundland this afternoon as a fast-moving low pressure system tracks across the Island. While snowfall is picking up in some areas, conditions aren’t overly bad everywhere just yet. Looking over downtown St. John’s earlier this afternoon, roads didn’t appear too bad even as people were heading into the Mary Brown’s Centre for the Brier. But the radar tells us that the situation is evolving as the afternoon goes on.
Across eastern Newfoundland, snowfall has been increasing in intensity. Radar shows the heaviest snow developing over parts of the Avalon Peninsula, where snowfall rates may briefly reach 2 to 4 cm per hour for a few hours this afternoon. However, the snow won’t last long in the metro area.
Temperatures are hovering near the freezing mark, and that means the snow is expected to switch to rain between roughly 2 and 3 PM in the St. John’s metro region before ending shortly afterward.
Expected Snowfall Totals
This isn’t expected to be a major snowfall event, but some areas will still pick up a few centimetres.
Expected totals include:
Avalon Peninsula / Burin Peninsula
Generally 5 to 10 cm or less
St. John’s Metro
Around 5 cm likely
Some areas could approach 10 cm, but latest model guidance suggests totals closer to 5 cm
CBS and nearby communities
2 to 5 cm
Outer areas (Seal Cove, Bell Island, etc.)
Possibly under 2 cm
The heaviest snowfall rates will occur through early afternoon before the change to rain in eastern areas.
The Bigger Story: Arctic Air
Once this system moves through, the real story becomes the Arctic air moving in behind it. Across Labrador, temperatures are already plunging into the –10s and –20s, and that cold air is spreading south and east.
Extreme cold warnings are in place for:
All of Labrador
Newfoundland’s Northern Peninsula
Wind chills overnight and early Thursday morning could reach:
–30 in parts of Newfoundland
–40 to –50 in Labrador
That kind of cold can be dangerous if you’re outside for extended periods.
Thursday Will Start Mild — Then Turn Cold
In eastern Newfoundland, temperatures may appear relatively mild Thursday morning. But that’s a bit misleading. The day’s high will actually occur early in the morning, around sunrise. From there, temperatures will fall through the day as Arctic air pushes in. By Thursday evening, wind chills could approach –20 in eastern Newfoundland, with much colder values across western Newfoundland and Labrador.
The Good News: The Cold Won’t Last
While the Arctic blast will be noticeable, it won’t stick around very long. Temperatures will remain cold on Friday, but by the weekend milder air begins pushing back in. By Sunday and early next week, temperatures could feel almost spring-like across parts of Newfoundland. The big question becomes how long that mild stretch lasts…
I’ll have my next update posted tomorrow morning!
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