Snowfall warning issued for much of P.E.I.

Prince Edward Islanders should brace themselves for a serious spring snowfall Thursday night.

Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning for Prince and Queens counties.

"It's a big, big system, and not only do we see snow but we're going to see wind and that's going to blow around that snow," said CBC meteorologist Tina Simpkin.

"It is going to be a mess."

It will start as a rain and snow mix, but will switch over to heavy snow around 10 p.m. for Prince and Queens counties, and around midnight in the east.

It will change back to rain around 6 a.m. in Kings County, where people can expect 10 to 15 centimetres. Snow will continue into part of the morning in the rest of the province with 15 centimetres falling, perhaps more in Prince, before the rain returns.

The snow will be followed by two to four millimetres of rain.

It will all come with strong winds out of the east, with gusts to 80 km/h, blowing the snow around.

There are warnings there could be restrictions on the Confederation Bridge starting at 4 a.m. Friday and lasting until around 10 a.m. 

Islanders will have some sunshine Thursday morning for an opportunity to batten down the hatches, and by Sunday the temperature could climb into double digits.

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