Sunday, December 15, 2024

Explosive system to bring Eastern Canada a blast of precipitation

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Meteorological winter has only just begun and we’ve already seen multiple winter storms sweep across the country, bringing cold temperatures and messy precipitation with them.

A boundary will set up in the Eastern U.S. and develop a new low-pressure system that will bring widespread precipitation to Eastern Canada starting midweek.

Typically when we think of weather bombs (explosive cyclogenesis), where a low-pressure system drops by 24 mb or more in 24 hours, we think of lows off the Pacific coast or in Atlantic Canada.

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In this instance, the low-pressure system will stay over land and undergo explosive cyclogenesis from the mid-Atlantic U.S. into Quebec.

Eastern Canada weather bomb impacts graphic - Dec. 9, 2024

Eastern Canada weather bomb impacts graphic – Dec. 9, 2024

This system will likely bring a wide variety of impacts, from heavy rains to slippery snow and freezing rain, as well as damaging wind gusts and power outages.

As with any impactful system, be sure to keep up-to-date on alerts in your area.

Pressure begins to drop over Ontario and Quebec Wednesday

The low will begin to develop over Virginia during the early hours on Wednesday, drawing in moisture and mild air from the Gulf of Mexico as it begins to travel into Ontario.

Rain will begin in southern and eastern Ontario, as well as southern Quebec on Tuesday night. The heaviest of the rain will be focused on eastern Ontario and Quebec, however.

The rain won’t last long in southern Ontario as the mild air will quickly be pulled northward into Labrador, bringing widespread rain to the province.

Eastern Canada Thursday morning precipitation and air masses - Dec. 9, 2024Eastern Canada Thursday morning precipitation and air masses - Dec. 9, 2024

Eastern Canada Thursday morning precipitation and air masses – Dec. 9, 2024

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As the low continues to drop in pressure, cold, Arctic air currently over the Prairies will be drawn into eastern Ontario and Quebec. Wednesday’s rain will then transition into snow, at times heavy, late Wednesday and into Thursday.

The combination of rain and snow will make surfaces and roadways especially slippery, so exercise caution when travelling outdoors.

The wind will also begin to pick up overnight Wednesday as the system begins to move into Atlantic Canada, bringing gusts up to 100 km/h.

Eastern Canada Thursday wind gust forecast - Dec. 9, 2024Eastern Canada Thursday wind gust forecast - Dec. 9, 2024

Eastern Canada Thursday wind gust forecast – Dec. 9, 2024

Rain, wind moves into Atlantic Canada Thursday

Although Atlantic Canada will be escaping this system snow-free, rain will engulf the region by Thursday and stick around through Friday.

The gusty winds developing Wednesday overnight will also be particularly potent across eastern Quebec and Atlantic Canada into Thursday, bringing the risk for localized power outages.

Eastern Canada rainfall accumulation through Friday - Dec. 9, 2024Eastern Canada rainfall accumulation through Friday - Dec. 9, 2024

Eastern Canada rainfall accumulation through Friday – Dec. 9, 2024

Folks could see some freezing rain along the rain-snow boundary, with the greatest risk being to the north in Quebec and Labrador, where we could see the snow from this system.

Arctic air will also rush into the region by the end of the week, putting a quick end to the mild midweek temperatures.

Stay with The Weather Network for more forecast updates and information on your weather across Eastern Canada.

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