Snowy start to Tuesday for parts of the Maritimes

CTV Atlantic meteorologist Kalin Mitchell shares details on a low-pressure system set to bring clouds, flurries and showers to the Maritime Monday into Tuesday.

A pair of low-pressure systems will bring more April snow into the region overnight into Tuesday. The snow could accumulate from a few to several centimetres in some areas, creating slippery surfaces.

Snow timing

There will be increasing cloudiness for the region Monday night. The snow will be developing across much of mainland Nova Scotia by near midnight. The snow will reach Cape Breton and parts of southern New Brunswick by early Tuesday morning.

The snow will mix with ice pellets, freezing rain, and rain on the Atlantic coastline of Nova Scotia and in the southwest of that province Tuesday morning.

Tuesday morning A slippery Tuesday morning commute is possible for much of Nova Scotia.

A second round of snow moves into New Brunswick Tuesday afternoon. The snow continues for New Brunswick Tuesday evening. Prince Edward Island as well as northern and eastern areas of Nova Scotia can also expect some of that snow Tuesday evening and night.

By Wednesday morning, just a few, spotty flurries are expected to remain.

Tuesday evening A second round of snow moves across New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island Tuesday afternoon and night.

Snow amounts

With temperatures hovering from just below to just above freezing during the snowfall, there is expected to be melt and compaction as it comes down to the ground. Accumulation will vary depending on the surface the snow makes contact with. The snow will accumulate more on vegetative surfaces (lawns, roadsides) and will turn more slushy on pavement (roads, parking lots).

You should prepare for possible accumulations of a few to several centimetres of snow. That is enough to create slippery road conditions where it does accumulate.

The period of greatest accumulation for Nova Scotia is Monday overnight through Tuesday morning.

The period of greatest accumulation for New Brunswick and P.E.I. is late Tuesday afternoon through Tuesday night.

Snow Outlook There will be some melting and compaction of snow as it sits on the ground but accumulations of a few to several centimetres is possible.

This week

There will be scattered flurries and cool temperatures on Wednesday in the wake of the low-pressure system.

I wouldn’t call it “warm” spring weather, but temperatures are expected to moderate through the end of the week. Friday’s temperatures are forecast to be seasonable, which are highs in the mid-to-high single digits and lows from near to just above freezing.

Surrounding ocean water temperatures are still quite chilly, mostly sitting at one-to-four degrees.

Water temps Chilly water temperatures surround the Maritimes at this time of the year. It isn’t unusual for that to slow our progress towards “warmer” spring weather.

April rain and showers are on deck for late Saturday into Sunday as another low-pressure system develops and moves up the U.S. eastern seaboard.

Halifax snow Pedestrians walk down the middle of a road in Halifax on Feb. 3, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese (Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press)