Windy, wintry weekend expected before nor'easter off Nova Scotia's coast

Expect a windy, wintry mix for Saturday.

​A powerful nor'easter will develop and move up the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S tonight. The system then will move past just off the Atlantic coastline of Nova Scotia Saturday.

As it passes, it will bring as a mix of snow, ice pellets, freezing rain — and even a change to rain for a few areas. The wintry mix of precipitation will be accompanied by east and northeast wind gusts that will reach 50 to 80 km/h.

Despite the weather, Halifax said people who had their garbage, recycling and organics collection rescheduled for Saturday should still put their items at the curb. 

Air Canada, Porter Airlines and WestJet have issued travel alerts, advising passengers to check for any changes to arrival and departure times. They've also waived the cost of changing flights for their customers.

Marine Atlantic ferries were arriving and departing according to schedule on Saturday morning.

Here's more on what to expect:

South Shore

• A mix of snow and freezing rain will develop around 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday then mix with rain on the Atlantic coastline. Inland, we'll see a mix of snow, freezing rain and ice pellets. The mix turns into a period of snow Saturday evening and then eases to flurries.
• Accumulations of five to 10 cm on the Atlantic coastline will increase to 10 to 20 cm inland.
• East and northeast gusts of 50 to 70 km/h during the day. North angled gusts of 40 to 60 km/h will be around Saturday evening and night.

Digby, Annapolis Valley and Hants County

• A mix of snow and freezing rain will begin near Digby by 8 a.m. Snow will spread up the Annapolis Valley and into Hants County by early afternoon and then intensify. Periods of snow will continue into the evening before easing to flurries Saturday night.
• Expect snow to accumulate in the amounts of 20 to 30 cm. That will cause restricted visibility in drifting and blowing snow.
• East and northeast winds will gust 50 to 70 km/h during the day. Northern wind will gust 40 to 60 km/h Saturday evening and night.

Halifax Regional Municipality

• A mix of snow, ice pellets and freezing rain will develop near noon. The mix will continue into the evening and then turn to snow. Snow will continue to fall towards midnight then ease to scattered flurries.
• Expect 10 to 20 cm of snow. As little as 10 to 15 cm of snow could fall on the coast, but increase to 20 cm, even close to 30 cm inland. That will cause restricted visibility in drifting and blowing snow away from the Atlantic coastline.
• Winds from the east and northeast will gust 50 to 70 km/h during the day. Northern wind gusts will blow 40 to 60 km/h Saturday evening and night.

Northeastern mainland

• Snow will develop mid-afternoon through the early evening. The snow will mix with ice pellets and freezing rain on the Atlantic coastline. Snow will continue to fall through the evening easing to scattered flurries and snow squalls early Sunday morning.
• Expect 10 to 20 cm of snow on the Atlantic coastline and as much as 20 to 30 cm elsewhere. That will cause restricted visibility in drifting and blowing snow.
• We'll see wind gust from the east and northeast 50 to 70 km/h Saturday afternoon and evening. Winds then will turn north and gust 50 to 70 km/h after midnight easing Sunday morning.

Cape Breton

• Snow will fall Saturday evening. Periods of snow overnight will ease into scattered flurries and snow squalls Sunday morning.
• Around 10 to 20 cm of snow will fall, but in southern Inverness and Richmond counties, except 20 to 30 cm. This will restrict visibility by drifting and blowing snow.
• Winds from the east and northeast will gust 60 to 80 km/h Saturday evening, blowing up to 120 km/h in Inverness County. Winds then will turn north and gust 50 to 80 km/h after midnight, easing Sunday morning.