Mixed weather across Canada for Remembrance Day 2013

As veterans, soldiers and civilians alike step out to observe Remembrance Day today, local weather conditions for these events will vary greatly, depending on where you live, due to three major weather systems lined up across the nation.

A dome of high pressure stretching from Thunder Bay to the Rocky Mountains will be bringing a fairly pleasant day for the west coast but wetter, colder weather further east. Vancouver, Victoria and BC's South Coast will see temperatures reaching up into the double digits by midday, with a mix of cloudy, wet and cooler weather expected to the north and through the BC interior. Clear skies are expected through Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, but the mercury drops significantly due to Arctic air being pulled down over the prairies. Southern Alberta may see temperatures creep up to just above freezing today, but the rest of the province will be at or below freezing, and highs of only around -7 or -8 degrees C are expected for the rest of the prairies this afternoon. Wind chills this morning are down to around -25 through most of the southern parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and even lower further north, but this should improve throughout the day.

An active weather system moving through Ontario this morning is dragging cold, gusty weather down across the northwest, and pushing cloudy, wet weather across southern and eastern parts of the province. The rain is expected to switch over to snow flurries this afternoon as the cold front travelling with this system brings cooler air and gusty winds. Snow squall watches are in effect for regions to the southwest of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, specifically between Sarnia and London, and north of the GTA. These regions could see up to 10 cm of snow by Tuesday morning, with higher amounts possible in some areas.

Southwestern Quebec is expected to see a cool, sunny morning, with the rain from southern Ontario moving in this afternoon followed by the cool, gusty weather. To the north, snow squall warnings and watches are in effect as the system over Ontario tracks eastward, calling for heavy flurries and blowing snow throughout the day and into this evening. Further to the east — through the St. Lawrence river valley — should see snow flurries today and tonight as well.

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A third weather system over the Maritimes is spreading a mix of cloudy, mild, wet weather across New Brunswick, PEI, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland today. Halifax and the southeast coast of the Nova Scotia mainland may see a bit of sun today, but the rest of the province, along with most of New Brunswick and PEI, will have a mix of dreary, wet weather. Newfoundland is expected to get periods of heavy rainfall across the Avalon Peninsula this morning, with more consistent rainy, cloudy weather this afternoon. Snow is in the forecast for regions further to the north and west, with snowfall warnings from the Burin Peninsula through Terra Nova to Gander calling for up to 15 cm of snow by Tuesday morning.

(Photo courtesy: Fred Chartrand/The Canadian Press)

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