No need to dream, White Christmas all but assured in the Maritimes

An early nor'easter followed by a low-pressure system moving into the region all but ensure a Maritime White Christmas

Thanks to an early season nor’easter followed by a period of cold weather, much of the Maritimes has a good layer of snow on the ground. Another low-pressure system will swing out of the Great Lakes and bring further snowfall to the Maritimes on Tuesday, all but ensuring a white Christmas.

The snow piled up for a large portion of the Maritimes this past weekend thanks to the nor’easter and localized snow squalls.

The nor’easter brought 10 to 30 cm of snow across much of southern and eastern New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. Snow totals climbed higher for areas that saw flurries and squalls move in off ocean waters. Reports from the North Shore for mainland Nova Scotia and the Cape Breton Highlands show as much as 40 to 50 cm of snow fell Friday night through Monday morning.

Snow squalls continue Monday afternoon for Inverness and Victoria Counties in Cape Breton. The squalls are expected to diminish through Monday evening.

A “White Christmas” requires 2 cm of snow on the ground Christmas morning by definition. A “Perfect Christmas” requires 2 cm of snow on the ground accompanied by falling snow.

Modelling shows the majority of the Maritimes should see the required 2 cm of snow on Christmas morning thanks to the nor’easter and second weather system expected Tuesday. There is a chance some flurries and areas of light snow will linger into Wednesday morning. Western Nova Scotia has the highest chance of falling snow Christmas day.