Weekend storm will bring ‘a little bit of everything’ (update)
Posted Jan 28, 2022 02:00:00 PM.
The next winter storm making its way to our area will bring “a little bit of everything.”
A winter storm warning is in effect for the metro Halifax area, along with most of the mainland and some parts of western Cape Breton.
Environment Canada meteorologist Bob Robichaud said the system will rapidly intensify as it moves into the Gulf of Maine.
He expects snow to start falling in the Halifax area sometime between 4 and 6 a.m. Saturday.
“That will gradually pick up in intensity over the course of the morning,” he told CityNews Halifax Friday morning. “I think by around midday or early afternoon is when we're going to see a changeover to rain.”
“During that changeover we're going to get into some ice pellets and probably a little bit of freezing rain before it eventually changes over to straight rain.”
Some good news, he doesn't expect an extended period of freezing rain here in Halifax, but that changeover could drag on for a few hours longer in areas north west of HRM.
The forecast is calling for 10 to 20 cm of snow and 10 to 15 mm of rain for Halifax.
Snowfall totals should be lower in eastern HRM, where a rainfall warning is in effect east of Porters Lake.
A special weather statement also advises of possible storm surge and rough, pounding surf along the Atlantic coast Saturday afternoon and again early on Sunday.
If you have errands that you must do tomorrow, Robichaud suggests trying to wait until early evening.
And it's going to be windy, with gusts starting to pick up throughout Saturday morning and early afternoon.
“We're looking at a significant drop-off in wind speed late afternoon and into suppertime … winds are going to be light with maybe a little light rain and that's it.”
But he cautions winds should pick back up Saturday night into Sunday.
“And those could be a little bit stronger even than what we see tomorrow afternoon,” Robichaud explained. “They could gust, at least along coastal areas, they could reach the 90 to 100 km/h range.”
“By that time most of the heavy precipitation will be over.”
On Sunday, we should wake up to gusty winds and some flurries.
“But those winds will be diminishing and any flurry activity should come to an end Sunday morning,” Robichaud stated.
“Other than it being a little on the cold side, Sunday afternoon should be pretty good.”
