Timeline: Get ready for snow, freezing rain as icy mess moves into Nova Scotia

Another system is on its way into the Maritimes and it's bringing a messy mix of snow, ice pellets, freezing rain and rain, along with some gusty winds. 

The heaviest snow will fall over northern and central New Brunswick, where as much as 50 cm could fall by Saturday morning. The heaviest rain is set for southwestern Nova Scotia where up to 50 mm of rain looks set to fall. Rainfall warnings are in effect.

In between, we'll see a hardy mix of ice pellets along with an extended period of freezing rain tonight and through Friday across most of Nova Scotia. Power outages are certainly possible, with freezing rain amounts of 10-20 mm or more and significant ice accretion likely in some areas. Freezing rain warnings have been issued for all of Nova Scotia.

Timeline

Light snow is already moving in across the region and that will make for a slick Thursday evening commute for many, with a widespread trace to 5 cm by supper time. Leave yourself some extra time and space when you head home.

As we head into this evening and then overnight, we'll see snow transition to a messy mix of ice pellets and freezing rain across Nova Scotia and southern New Brunswick. 

The most significant freezing rain tonight will fall from the Annapolis Valley, across central Nova Scotia and Halifax, then eastward to Guysborough county. Most of the province, but those areas in particular, will wake up to icy conditions on Friday morning.

Freezing rain is looking likely to continue for those areas, including Halifax, making for a slippery Friday morning commute. 

For Digby, Yarmouth and Shelburne counties we'll see a mix to rain overnight and into Friday morning, areas along the coast into Lunenburg county may also see a change to rain by morning.

Further north and east along the Northumberland shoreline of Nova Scotia, Cape Breton and southern New Brunswick, a mix of snow and ice pellets begins overnight with freezing rain beginning to mix in on Friday morning.

As we move into midday on Friday, we'll see temperatures rising from southwest to northeast and the freezing rain mixing over to rain along the Atlantic coastline of Nova Scotia, including Halifax. Rain at times heavy will fall along the southern shore. 

Further north, from the Annapolis Valley across to the Northumberland shore, extended periods of freezing rain will continue into Friday afternoon, before finally mixing to rain as temperatures rise late in the day. 

Cape Breton and Cumberland counties will likely see a mix of ice pellets and extended freezing rain all day on Friday, before a brief change to rain or drizzle as temperatures rise on Friday evening. 

As temperatures climb well above the freezing mark on Friday evening, the winds will increase with widespread southerly gusts 70-90 km/h across the Province. Gusts could top 110 km/h along the coasts. 

Those strong southerly winds continue into the overnight, before shifting to northwest overnight and early Saturday, ushering in a much colder air mass. 

Winds will remain breezy, but the skies will brighten throughout the day on Saturday. We'll see a quiet Sunday across the region, before our next system moves in on Monday. Snow or snow mixed with rain are possibilities at this point. 

I'll have an updated look at the incoming icy mess this afternoon CBC Radio and this evening on CBC-TV and CBC GEM.

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