The Environment and Climate Change Canada Weather Office in Gander has issued a Winter Storm Watch for the following areas:

• Avalon Peninsula North
• Avalon Peninsula Southeast
• Avalon Peninsula Southwest
• St. John’s & vicinity
• Burin Peninsula
• Connaigre
• Bonavista Peninsula
• Clarenville & vicinity
• Terra Nova

The Winter Storm Watch is in effect from Monday morning until late Monday night. Snow and moderate wind speeds are expected during that time frame. Winter Storm Watches are issued when multiple types of severe winter weather are expected to occur together.

At this point, the projected snowfall totals across the region are between 15 and 25 cm, and maximum wind gusts over exposed areas will be as high as 70 km/h from the northeast. Locally higher amounts are possible.

Snow will arrive in the region Monday morning and become heavy at times in the afternoon before ending from west to east late Monday evening or Monday night. Snowfall rates in some areas may exceed 3 cm per hour, making travel difficult.

Wind speeds will ramp up Monday evening, and in conjunction with falling snow, freshly fallen snow and cold temperatures will result in poor visibility in areas of blowing snow. Conditions will improve on Tuesday morning.

There is some uncertainty in the exact track of the system and, thus, how far west the heavy snow will fall. As of early Sunday morning, the Avalon will likely see the higher end of the range, with areas to the west seeing lower. Subsequent forecasts over the coming hours should help pinpoint this detail better.

My next forecast update will be issued this afternoon.

/Eddie