P.E.I. has certainly gotten off lightly when it comes to snowfall this winter.
That run of luck may be coming to an end later this week.
A special weather statement has been issued for the province on Thursday with another, more potent, system possible for Friday night.
Environment Canada is tracking a system forming off the Carolina’s that is expected to track along the eastern seaboard right along the coast of the U.S. and into the Gulf of Maine by late Thursday.
Bob Robichaud, meteorologist with the national weather service, said Tuesday that system will get deflected as it’s coming up.
“What we’re expecting is snow to move in probably anywhere from very late morning into the early afternoon hours on Thursday,’’ Robichaud said. “(And) is the kind of thing that when it starts to come down (it will be) at a pretty good rate (before) it tapers off a little bit. It should start tapering off around supper time or the early evening hours.’’
As for snowfall amounts, Environment Canada is calling for around 10 centimetres on Thursday, possibly a bit more or a bit less. As for winds, Robichaud doesn’t expect they’ll approach warning criteria but gusts could hit 60 km/h.
Environment Canada is watching another system for Friday.
“The next system we’re watching could be the interesting one. That one wants to develop just south of Cape Breton and then move up into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. That one could be a bit more tricky in terms of wind and snowfall amounts.’’
Robichaud said they’re not 100 per cent certain a Friday storm will hit P.E.I. but that confidence is growing.
Whatever hits isn't expected to hit until into the early evening hours on Friday.
Robichaud said if Friday’s system does materialize, it will make a bigger impact that the one on Thursday.
“Until we see exactly what happens with the first (Thursday’s weather event) it’s going to be impossible to pin down the second one,’’ he said before noting that Friday’s storm could be worse.
“It’s a pretty sure deal for Cape Breton (but) some models don’t quite bring it into Prince Edward Island totally at this point so that’s the uncertainty as to where it’s going to go. Most of the (weather) models actually do develop this system but not all of them bring it right into the eastern Maritimes just yet.’’
