Nor'easter expected to bring heavy snow to Maritimes on Monday

A nor'easter set to hit Nova Scotia on Monday is expected to bring as much as 50 centimetres of snow with blizzard–like conditions due to high winds, says CBC meteorologist Peter Coade.

Coade says it has the potential to be the heaviest snowfall in Nova Scotia this winter. He says southern New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island will also receive at least 30 cm.

But he says there's still a chance this system could change.

"There's still the possibility that it will be changing to rain or becoming mixed with rain along the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia," he said.

The storm is on track to hit the south shore of Nova Scotia Monday afternoon and will be coupled with a strong northeast wind.

"I would say that everybody will see snow from this throughout the Maritime provinces. It will extend as far north as the Acadian peninsula and the Miramichi and so that will cover just about all of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia."

The storm is expected to hit the Halifax area early Monday evening.

Around midnight, the nor'easter is likely to change to freezing rain and rain along the coastal parts of Nova Scotia.

Coade predicts the weather will clear by Tuesday morning.