Storm rolls into New Brunswick bringing snow, freezing rain
A winter storm warning, with snow and freezing rain in the forecast, has been issued for much of New Brunswick.
CBC Meteorologist Ryan Snoddon said the system will move in as snow for most of the province on Tuesday afternoon and continue into the evening.
But in the mid to late evening, the snow will change to freezing rain from the St. Stephen area up to Fredericton and beyond to Miramichi.
"It looks like it could be a three-to-five or even six-hour period into the late evening and into the early overnight" where the freezing rain will fall, he said.
"That long period of icing could certainly have some ice building up on things like power lines and cars, sidewalks and roads."
At 9 p.m. AT Tuesday, New Brunswick RCMP said travel is not recommended on a large stretch of Trans-Canada Highway 2 from Grand Falls to Jemseg. New Brunswick's 511 road conditions website also said the entirety of the Trans-Canada from Quebec to Nova Scotia is snow covered, as is all of Highway 1 from St. Stephen to Petitcodiac.
Highways 15 and 16 in the southeast part of the province were also listed as completely snow-covered. Most highways in the northeast near Campbellton and Bathurst have reduced visibility.
An extended period of freezing rain is possible this evening and overnight. St. Stephen to Fredericton to Miramichi could see a three-to-five-hour period of ice build-up, says meteorologist Ryan Snodden. (Environment Canada)
Dropping temperatures overnight will keep the ice frozen to the morning, which will make for a problematic commute, Snoddon said.
Despite the lengthy period of freezing rain, Snoddon said it wouldn't likely be a "substantial" amount of ice and is unlikely to be a crippling ice storm for the province.
"But certainly enough to make things icy, coat the power lines, perhaps cause some power outages, and certainly enough to make things icy for tomorrow morning."
In an email statement, N.B. Power spokesperson Dominique Couture said the utility is monitoring the weather and is ready to respond if outages occur.
As of 9 p.m. Tuesday, there were approximately 1,000 outages in Fredericton.
In the southeast, Moncton, Sussex and Saint John will just see rain overnight.
Snowfall warnings are in place for the Acadian Peninsula, the Bathurst and Chaleur region, Campbellton and Restigouche, Edmundston, Grand Falls, Mount Carleton and Woodstock.
These places are expected to get 15 to 25 centimetres of snow.
Special weather statements are in place for Grand Lake, Kent County, St. Stephen and Kouchibouguac National Park, calling for the possibility of an extended period of freezing rain beginning Tuesday evening.
