Heavy rain has been falling across southern and western Newfoundland for the last 24+ hours as an atmospheric river has taken square aim at Newfoundland and Labrador. This is very easy to spot on the Precipitable Water loop. The yellow you see is the moisture being directed at the region.

The moisture fetch will continue to affect the region through later Friday and early Saturday. However, as colder air moves in, the rain that we’ve seen over western Newfoundland will change to heavy snow. And it will snow through Friday for much of western Newfoundland. In fact, by later Friday, all of us will be seeing the snow. Out ahead of the snow, Winter Storm Warnings and Blowing Snow Advisories are in effect for portions of western and central Newfoundland. Western areas will see the snow first. In Central, it will arrive tomorrow afternoon as the rain changes from ice pellets and freezing rain to snow.

It should also be noted that Rainfall Warnings will remain in effect for some areas of southern Newfoundland through Thursday. The Rainfall Warnings will end overnight for western areas, as the snow takes hold.

Timing this all out is rather challenging however, Futurecast does a good job showing the transition from rain to snow across the Island between today and late Friday. The video below should help give you an indication of when to expect the change in your location. Green is rain, white is snow, and the purple and pink colours are ice.

Snowfall totals will be highest on the Northern Peninsula, Baie Verte Peninsula, Interior, and western parts of the Island, where upwards 50 cm will fall by Friday evening. Locally, higher amounts are likely in some areas, especially in the higher terrain. Blizzard conditions will take hold across much of the mentioned regions overnight Thursday night and Friday as the wind speeds pick up. I’ll advise you not to travel during that time.