Snow-covered highways reported as snowstorm hits New Brunswick

Highway conditions around the province are being reported assnow-covered or partly snow-covered asthe first large winter stormbeganto hit New BrunswickMonday night.

New Brunswickershave been advised to check road conditions before heading out.

There are no power outages are being reported. Over 1,000 customerswere affected early Monday eveningin Burton and Oromocto.

Weather warnings are in affect for the entire province.

• CBC New Brunswick Storm Centre: Latest closures,cancellations
• Winter storm to bring full mix of weather to Maritimes

NB Power reported on Twitter it has moved crews to key areas across the province and havecontractor crews ready torespond where needed.

The New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization is reminding people across the province to monitor the weather reports, check road conditionsbefore travelling and be prepared for emergencies.This includes having an emergency kit and being prepared tobe self-reliant for at least three days in the event of a power outage.

Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning for the northern half of the province including:

• The Acadian Peninsula
• Bathurst and Chaleur Region
• Campbellton and Restigouche County
• Edmundston and Madawaska County
• Grand Falls and Victoria County
• Kent County
• Kouchibouguac National Park
• Miramichi and area
• Mount Carleton - Renous Highway
• Stanley -Doaktown- Blackville area

According to the warning, a long period of snowfall will bring about 25 centimetres.

Meanwhile, freezing rain warnings have been issued for the following areas:

• Fredericton and Southern York County
• Grand Lake and Queens County
• Oromocto and Sunbury County
• Sussex - Kennebecasis Valley and Kings County
• Woodstock and Carleton County

Environment Canada says precipitation will begin as snow in these areas Monday night before changing to ice pellets overnight with a risk of freezing rain.

"The ice pellets will change to freezing rain late overnight or early Tuesday morning then back to ice pellets or snow later Tuesday afternoon," according to the statement.

"Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots will become icy, slippery and hazardous. Beware of branches or electrical wires that could break under the weight of ice."

Rainfallwarningshave been issued for communities along theFundycoast:

• Saint John and County
• St. Stephen and Northern Charlotte County
• Grand Manan and Coastal Charlotte County

According to the warning from Environment Canada, the precipitation from the storm will fall mainly as rain, with heavier rain late Monday night and Tuesday.

"A total of up to 40 millimetresof rain is expected."

Coade says all of New Brunswick will see a strong easterly wind with the storm, which will move out onTuesday night making way for amostly sunny day on Wednesday.

"However thereis another disturbance following in the tracks of this first one, also coming up from the American southwest," Coade says.

"This one on Thursday will draw milder air farther north such that only far northern New Brunswickshould see any snow andthe rest of the area can expect more rain."

New Brunswick forecast

Northern New Brunswick

Monday: Snow will spread from west to east Monday evening bringing five centimetresof snow, changing to ice pellets in the west this afternoon with the risk of freezing rain. The temperatures will be steady at 0 C.

Monday night: Periods of ice pellets or snow, heavy at times areexpected, changing to freezing rain in the Woodstock area. Snowfall amounts of five centimetresalong with winds from the northeast gusting to 40 km/h and a low of 2 C.

Tuesday: The region can expect windand snow, heavy at times, and blowing snow. Northern communities can also expect about25 cm of snow and a high of 0 C.

Fredericton and area

Monday: The Fredericton area is expecting a cloudy day with about five centimetresof snow mixed with ice pellets with a high of 0 C.

Monday night: Snow changing to ice pellets this evening, then changing to freezing rain before morning with winds from the east gusting to 40 km/h and the temperature rising to 0 C.

Tuesday: It will be windy with snow, heavy at times, and local blowing snow mixed with freezing rain and ice pellets. The area can expect a further snowfall of 10 centimetresand a high steady at 0 C.

Southern New Brunswick

Monday: Snow or ice pellets are expected to develop in the west on Monday morning and spread to the east by theafternoon with snow changing to rain along the Fundy coast in the afternoon.

Snowfall amounts of about five centimetresare predicted with a high near 0 C.

Monday night: There will be snow or ice pellets, occasionally changing to freezing rain except rain along the the FundyCoast.

Snowfall amounts of about fivecentimetresand rainfall amounts of 10 mm to 15 mm along with gusty winds from the east at 30 km/h and the temperature remaining steady near 0 C.

Tuesday: Southern communities can expect windand rain, heavy at times in the west,and snow or ice pellets mixed with freezing rain in the east.

Rainfall of 30 mm is expected along with winds from east gusting to 60 km/h and a high of 6 C in the southwest, 2 C in the southeast.