Nor'easter to slam East Coast with snow, heavy rain, strong winds

It's the calm before the storm but not for long.

A powerful nor'easter is heading straight for the Maritimes this week,packingsnow, heavy rain and strong winds on Thursday.

KalinMitchell, aCBCmeteorologist, said the heaviest snowfall will be in New Brunswick, where most of theprovince will see between10 and25 centimetresof snow, andrain near the Bay of Fundy coastline.

• New Brunswick Storm Centre

But Mitchell said the storm won't move directly through the Maritimes.

Instead, the stormis expected to move north of Long Island and Cape Cod on Wednesday night, approaching the Bay of Fundy, but will roll back and settle into the St. Lawrence River Valley by Friday morning.

Environment Canada has also issued a snowfall warning that's in effect for Fredericton and Southern York County, Grand Lake and Queens County, GrandMananand Coastal Charlotte County,OromoctoandSunburyCounty, St. Stephen and Northern Charlotte County, Sussex,KennebecasisValley and Kings County.

A special weather statement is also in effect for the rest of the province.

• Snow-packing nor'easter heads to New Brunswick

Environment Canada said snow is expected to develop over New Brunswick from the southwest Wednesday evening and reach the northeast by Thursday morning.

"The precipitation will taper off in the south by Friday morning," the weather agency said.

"However in the north, snow will continue overnight into Friday, possibly requiring snowfall warnings to be extended northwards."

But don't get too comfortable.

Behind the first storm, a second one is expected to brew to the south of Newfoundland and Labrador.

"Rain and showers during the day on Friday will turn to another round of significant snow for eastern Nova Scotia, P.E.I, and eastern New Brunswick in the evening and night," said Mitchell.

"Further periods of snow and flurries Maritime-wide on Saturday."

Environment Canada said visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow, with significant impact on rush hour traffic in urban areas.

New Brunswick forecast

Northern New Brunswick

Today: Cloudy with sunny breaks and isolated flurries. Northeasterly winds will be travelling at 20 km/h to 40 km/h. Temperatures will be at a high near2 C.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy with isolated flurries. Temperatures are expected to drop to a low of4 C.

Thursday: Cloudy with snow in the afternoon and evening between 10 cm and 25 cm. Northeasterly winds will be travelling between 30 km/h and 50 km/h. Temperatures will be at a high near1 C.

Fredericton and area

Today: Clearing to a mix of sun and cloud. Northeasterly winds gusting from 20 km/h to 40 km/h. Temperatures will be at a high near 2 C.

Tonight: Increasing cloudiness. Northeasterly winds at 30 km/h and gusting to 50 km/h. Temperatures will drop to a low of1 C.

Thursday: Cloudy with snow starting early in the morning. Periods of snow is also expected throughout the day. The area can expected between 15 cm and 25 cm. Easterly winds will be travelling at 30 km/h and gusting to 50 km/h. Temperatures will be at a high of 1 C.

Southern New Brunswick

Today: Clearing to a mix of sun and cloud. Northeasterly winds will be travelling at 20 to 40 km/h. Temperatures will be at a high near 2 C.

Tonight: Increasing cloudiness with snow developing overnight. Easterly winds will be travelling at 30 to 60 km/h. Temperatures will be at a low of around1 C.

Thursday: Cloudy with periods of snow. Snow will mix with rain near the Bay of Fundy coastline late in the morning or afternoon. Snowfall between 15 and 25 cm is expected. Easterly wind will travel between 40 and 70 km/h.