Special weather statements issued for the Maritimes ahead of heavy snowfall

Special weather statements have been issued by Environment Canada for all three Maritimes provinces advising of the potential for heavy snow Thursday into Friday.

Special weather statements have been issued by Environment Canada for all three Maritimes provinces advising of the potential for heavy snow Thursday into Friday.

The statement for southern New Brunswick calls for 15 to 25 cm of snow for some areas, with the snow starting Thursday afternoon.

In Prince Edward Island, the statement calls for up to 15 cm of snow Thursday evening to Friday morning.

For Nova Scotia, the statement extends from southern Inverness and Richmond Counties in Cape Breton and across almost the entirety of mainland Nova Scotia. Fifteen to 25 cm is forecast for those areas with the snow starting Thursday afternoon and concluding Friday morning. The Tri-County area in the southwest -- Digby, Yarmouth, Shelburne -- is not under the statement as rain mixing in is expected to limit the overall snow totals in the area.

While the snow starts Thursday afternoon for New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, some of the heaviest is expected Thursday evening and night. Environment Canada cautions "as the snow intensifies Thursday night, driving conditions will deteriorate" and "conditions will improve Friday morning with the departure of the storm.” The weather agency asks individuals to continue to monitor the forecast in the event that further alerts or warnings are issued.