Prescott Street in Kemptville this afternoon at about 2pm.

Snow and more snow....

Icy roads today have led to several accidents in the area. Kemptville Fire Department has responded to at least 2 roll overs and roads remain icy. We had a snow squall move through about one hour ago and it dumped several centimetres of snow.

The next system is expected to move in late Saturday. Winter Storm Watches have been posted for southwestern Ontario, and I expect them to be extended eastward into our area tomorrow. The snow will be steady Sunday with over 10cm expected.

BIG Snowstorm on tap for Sunday

Deepening low pressure is expected to develop in the US southwest and head for Toronto by late Sunday. Very cold air will remain in place in Ottawa and Montreal and set the stage for steady snow and some freezing rain Sunday into Monday morning. While it is very early in the forecast we can expect at least 10cm of snow and maybe as much as 20cm.

Today an Arctic front will sweep the region ushering in cold air with strong gusty winds and around 5cm of snow. Wind warnings are in place for NY State as well as the shores of Lake Erie and Ontario.

Last night isolated squalls produced only flurries in Kemptville but dumped a band of over 5cm of fluffy snow from Merrickville south. The photo above is plowing in Merrickville this morning.

I will update the storm situation at around 4pm today and again often this weekend so visit us again soon and as always the links along the left side of the page are current.

Weekend Update

I was hoping the weekend forecast would be a simple one. It looked like the storm that was poised to sweep the area was going to be a cold weather event with snow and nothing else. As more computer models are run, warm air is being introduced to the storm. This always complicates the forecast by developing a snow/rain line usually very close to Kemptville and the Seaway.

So...here goes. First today. Windy, in a word. A cold front is moving through the area with gusty winds from 50-70km/h and some snow today. I don't expect more than a cm or 2 at best. Another front will sweep the area late Friday with more flurries and gusty winds. Saturday is fair, the ideal go out and shop day. Sunday will see snow developing and mixing with freezing rain. That is far as I will go today. More updates soon. Plan on poor weather Sunday.

Be kind to each other today!

Fast changing weather pattern

Expect many changes over the next few days in Kemptville and the Ontario/Quebec region. A series of fast moving storms and fronts will provide a range of precipitation from snow to rain and everything in between. Most of today will be dry. Snow will begin late tonight and mix with rain by morning. A few centimetres is expected. Tomorrow we can expect the showers to turn back to flurries late in the day as a cold front moves through the area again. Keep in mind regardless of the precipitation type, roads will be slick. The ground is now in the process of freezing and ices up quickly.

Beyond that a major storm may affect us late in the weekend, Sunday into Monday. I will post updates on this as we move closer to the event.

Yesterday's front dropped about 3cm on Kemptville. Southwest of us in the Toronto area and north along the 400, squalls created white out conditions resulting in two fatal accidents. Winds gusted from 70-100km/h along the front in that area. Remember that at this time of year and indeed all winter, the weather changes quickly around the lakes. Be ready for these rapid changes in road conditions.

Special weather statement issued for regions of southern Saskatchewan by Environment Canada at 8:51 AM CST Tuesday 27 November 2007.

Special weather statement issued for: City of Regina - Fort Qu'Appelle - Indian Head - Lumsden - Pilot Butte - Moosomin - Grenfell - Kipling - Wawota - Carlyle - Oxbow - Carnduff - Bienfait - Stoughton - Estevan - Weyburn - Radville - Milestone - Outlook - Watrous - Hanley - Imperial - Dinsmore - Moose Jaw - Pense - Central Butte - Craik - Assiniboia - Gravelbourg - Coronach - Swift Current - Herbert - Cabri - Kyle - Lucky Lake - Leader - Gull Lake - Shaunavon - Maple Creek - Val Marie - Cypress Hills.

An intense low pressure system will move across southern Saskatchewan today bringing 5 to 10 cm of snow with it. Gusty southeast winds ahead of this system will produce extensive blowing snow causing poor visibilities in open areas. Winds will become strong northwesterly over southwestern portions of the province later this afternoon producing more extensive blowing snow and reduced visibilities.The combination of cold temperatures and brisk winds will produce wind chills near minus 30. Conditions are expected to improve this evening.

Icy road sign near Lacolle, Quebec this weekend as

Thursday's freezing rain begins to melt.

More snow tonight
More winter weather is on our doorstep courtesy of a storm system over the Ohio Valley. Steady rain will change to wet snow after midnight tonight and accumulate 5-10cm across eastern Ontario and Upstate NY. The highest amounts will be over higher terrain. Roads will be icy late tonight. Temperatures will cool on gusty winds tomorrow dropping below freezing with more snow expected.

On the Prairies an arctic outbreak is underway with temperatures in the -20's across Saskatchewan and Alberta with flurries and blowing snow. Travel is poor along the Trans Canada Highway through both provinces.

Storm Totals

Here is list of the storm totals from yesterday's first snow. All in all it was a respectable storm for the first of the season. About 1 inch of precipitation fell in varying forms from heavy rain along the Great Lakes to heavy snow in the Ottawa valley and everything else in between. Winds were gusty in the afternoon and it turned much colder. This weekend will warm up with flurries, before more interesting weather in the middle part of next week. Stay tuned!

Franktown, ON 25cm
Lachute, QC 20cm
Cornwall 20cm
Pembroke 20cm
Morrisburg 18cm
Montreal 17cm
Kemptville 15cm (two day total close to 25cm)
Ottawa 11cm

Above: Kemptville at 7:30 this morning. Snow and sleet continue across the area

and will for the entire day. About 10cm has fallen since yesterday at 8pm.

Over 10cm in Kemptville
Still snowing...

Snow and ice pellets continue across eastern Ontario, west Quebec and upstate New York this morning. About 10cm has fallen in Kemptville with at least another 10cm today. Radar this morning backs this up with more bands of precipitation to our south and west moving into our area. Winds will not be a big factor in Kemptville, but will be along the 401 and in Montreal where they will gust to 50km/h.

The plows have been rolling all night in Kemptville, but roads remain slippery due to the falling precipitation. It will be cold today with temperatures staying below freezing. Care is advised on the roads.

Storm totals will be in the 15-25cm range when all is said and done. All in all an impressive storm for the first one of the season. I will post photos later this morning.

Heavy Snow Warning issued for
Kemptville and Eastern Ontario

http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/warnings/report_e.html?onrm90

The bulk of the precipitation will begin this evening and become heavy overnight into Thursday morning in our area and spread east into Quebec. Snow and gusty winds causing blowing snow are expected along with dropping temperatures.

FIRST SNOW OF THE SEASON

7:35 AM in Kemptville on County Road 24

About 5cm of snow fell overnight in Kemptville

First Snow of season

Plows are out in and around Kemptville as about 5cm of wet snow fell overnight out in advance of the main storm system. The forecast has changed little from last night. It appears the low will slide south of the region by early Thursday. Light precipitation today will increase in coverage and intensity tonight. It is expected to snow through most of Thursday. Accumulations are expected to be 4-8cm along the St. Lawrence River, 5-10cm in Ottawa and Montreal and 15-30cm in the hills north of Montreal across the Laurentians. Winter Storm Warnings have been posted for those areas. Travel is already slippery this morning, and expect it to remain so into Friday morning.

First SNOW alert

The first widespread snow event of the season is expected over eastern Ontario and western Quebec Wednesday night into Thursday. Indications now are that rain and freezing rain during the afternoon late tomorrow night will change over to snow into Thursday morning on gusty northwest winds. Temperatures will fall Thursday and it will be windy with snow. It looks like 5-15cm (2-6 inches) can be expected throughout our area. This forecast will need tweaking as the rain snow line will be very close to the 401 corridor. Travel will be difficult late Wednesday through Friday morning. I will update this blog early tomorrow morning with any watches or warnings for the region. Keep in mind it is Thanksgiving in the US and a very busy travel time.

A special weather statement has been issued at: http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/warnings/SWS_bulletins_e.html?prov=on

Sorry but I have to put my faith behind the green for

Sunday's 96th Grey Cup. I was part of the

Green Nation for three years...they deserve it!

Storm on tap for Ontario
It looks like the first major snow event of the season is upon us. It is a difficult forecast with indications of a snow rain mix to start. The first storm will move through the area tomorrow with light rain. It will be chilly with highs no more than 4 or 5C. A cold front will sweep through the area late Wednesday with a second storm forming along that front. As the second batch of precipitation moves into the area on Thursday, it should be cold enough to support snow. The amounts are tricky to determine and will depend on the exact time of the changeover. Count on several centimetres of wet snow Thursday in the St. Lawrence and Ottawa Valleys. Travel will be poor. The wind will be very gusty as well.

I will post another update between 5-6pm tonight.

Snowstorm for Eastern Townships,
Adirondacks and Green Mountains
Prepare for Winter driving....

A fast moving low pressure area and cold front are bringing rain to Eastern Ontario this morning. As the storm reaches the east coast it will intensify tonight. Cold air wrapping around the back edge of the Storm will change rain to snow in all areas tonight. While only flurries are expected in our area, heavy wet snow is expected across higher elevations of New York and Quebec. Up to 30cm of snow may fall by Friday night. In Ontario Lake Effect Snow will occur off Lake Huron and Georgian Bay with over 15cm expected there. If you are travelling in both provinces or New England/New York today expect wet, breezy and changeable weather with dropping temperatures in all area.

Winter Storm Warnings are in effect for the northern Green Mountains and Adirondacks with Snow Advisories across Northern New York. Heavy Snow Warnings are in effect for the Beauce and Townships regions of southern Quebec.

High winds sweep Saskatchewan

Low pressure moving across central Saskatchewan has produced an impressive windstorm in the Prairies. The wind in Swift Current, SK has been blowing between 60-100km/h since mid day yesterday and continues! A peak gust of 104km/h was recorded in the last hour there. 100km/h winds were also reported at Moose Jaw and Lucky Lake. Winds will continue to howl from Alberta to Manitoba tonight as the storm slides east. Wind Warnings have been posted. They should diminish from west to east tomorrow.

SNOW hits east coast
I missed the forecast for our area...oops!

I must admit I am often surprised by how accurate I can be at times. It is actually scary. But boy did I miss the forecast for this past weekend and this week. I was expecting cool, breezy and even snowy weather in Ontario and Quebec. The coastal storm that struck the Maritimes and Gaspe just missed us. It meant sunny and very pleasant weather for Montreal and Ottawa. The snow, over 20cm in places, fell well east of our area. It included 21cm at Metro Halifax Airport. There were winds of 75-100km/h for the second weekend in a row. Power outages and dangerous roads were the rule. It looks like this weeks cold and white weather for Ontario will be delayed. But make no mistake it is on the way. I think next week we will see some action. Stay tuned.....

On the west coast, BC is being hammered today by a fierce storm with heavy rain on the coast, snow in the interior and 70-100km/h winds. Power is out to thousands of homes at this hour.

Lake Effect snow underway
Bands of Lake Effect snow with thunder and lightning are affecting Georgian Bay, and southern Ontario along with Western New York south of Buffalo. Lake Effect Snow Warnings have been issued for the counties of NY with a Special Weather Statement for Ontario. This afternoon winds are gusting to 80km/h along the north shores of Lake Erie and Ontario at Port Colborne and Point Pelee. Warnings are in effect for those areas.

A cold rain with mixed wet snow and gusty winds will develop tonight along Lake Ontario and in the St. Lawrence Valley and may work its way into North Grenville. It is the time of year that if it is wet treat it like ice...be safe.

Pounding surf from Noel on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina.

Noel worst Storm this season!
In an ironic twist in what was supposed to be a terrible hurricane season along the east coast, Hurricane Noel, possibly the last of 2007 - became the worst. What makes it ironic was that the storm was seemingly a weak and disorganized system from its onset. And yet the storm managed to kill 168 across the Caribbean, more than his predecessors and then blossom into a powerful extratropical storm that hammered the eastern seaboard from Florida to Newfoundland. Over the weekend the storm sent high seas and 100mph winds along the New England and Maritime coasts. At the height of the storm over 250,000 people were without power in those areas. The coasts were hit hard by storm surge flooding and damage was evident up and down the Nova Scotia coast. In addition to the wind, over 100mm of rain fell in areas and even snow fell on the western flank of the system, as much as 20cm in Northern Maine and western New Brunswick.