The New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization is warning residents to have everything they need for at least 72 hours after the major storm coming Thursday. (CBC)

The New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization is warning residents to have everything they need for at least 72 hours after the major storm coming Thursday.
Photo Credit: (CBC)

Eastern Canada braces for severe winter storm

While the United States is bracing for a “bomb cyclone,” Environment Canada is warning of hazardous winter conditions in Eastern Canada as a major winter storm is expected to slam into New Brunswick on Thursday.

Environment Canada says the storm will approach the Maritimes from the southwest and will pass over southeastern New Brunswick Thursday night.

The federal weather agency expects conditions to deteriorate Thursday afternoon due to accumulating snow, leading to transportation delays, road closures and power outages.

The snow will develop Thursday morning over the Fundy region and then spread northward across the province throughout the afternoon, Environment Canada says. The snow is expected to change to ice pellets and then to rain. The storm is expected to dump 20 to 40 cm of snow across the province.

The weather system is also expected to bring strong northeasterly winds with gusts up to 90 km/h along coastal areas late Thursday afternoon or evening. The winds will shift Thursday night to strong northwesterly. These strong winds combined with rapidly accumulating snow will result in poor visibilities in blowing snow, Environment Canada warns.

Very strong northeast winds will produce elevated water levels which could lead to some minor coastal flooding along the south shore of the Bay of Chaleur and the Acadian coast around high tide Thursday night to early Friday, the agency says.

In the meantime, forecasters in the U.S. say a severe pressure drop will lead to an explosive winter storm along the eastern seaboard dubbed a “bomb cyclone,” which is already bringing snow to Florida.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has warned that “Arctic air mass will remain entrenched over the eastern two thirds of the country through the end of the week”.

“A powerful nor’easter is expected to bring snow, ice, rain, very strong winds, and rough surf to coastal locations of the Southeast U.S., Middle Atlantic, Northeast, and into New England Wednesday into Thursday. The potential exists for dangerous travel, scattered power outages, tidal flooding, and very cold wind chills,” the NWS added.

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