Cool and damp May long weekend
on tap in the east

As the first long weekend of the year approaches, sadly so will cool air and rain for the east coast. It will be only slightly milder - with partly sunny skies in Ontario, while the southern Prairies will have the best weather.

This week's strong cold front and low pressure area that swept across Ontario with heavy rain, over 30mm in Kemptville, and severe weather in southern Ontario, including an F-0 Tornado, is well south of our area now. Cold air has poured in behind the storm with temperautres as cold as 5C in Kemptville. Snow even fell in Quebec and parts of New Brunswick. The front will stall off the east coast and spawn a coastal storm that will head north into Maine. The storm will assure cool and damp weather for the east through Monday, sad to say!

Severe Thunderstorms
in Eastern Ontario

The first outbreak of severe weather is occurring in Ontario and Quebec. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for all of southeastern Ontario including Lanark, Leeds Grenville and SD&G. Within the watch area severe storms have crossed the St. Lawrence River into the Seaway. The storms should begin to dissipate after sunset.

Keep and eye to the sky this afternoon. Hail and high winds are the main threat with these storms.

A mixed bag of weather

First named storm of season in Atlantic

Greetings weather fans...well it has been awhile since my last entry. I have been busy - with of all things, work! Imagine, that getting in the way of weather. Lots has been happening lately. We have taken on more of a spring and summer like pattern and have thankfully left the snow behind. It is 27C in Kemptville today, our first 80F day of the season.

In the US terrible thunderstorms produced tornadoes over the weekend. There are numerous sites with spectacular images - http://www.tornadochaser.com/ and others.

Also severe flooding is occurring across the Midwest including Missouri and Kansas. The flooding in many cases is the worst since the summer of 1993.

If that was not enough brush fires are burning across the parched state of Florida and it remains dry across the northeast and Great Lakes.

This morning, the first tropical type storm of the season, Subtropical Storm Andrea formed off the southeast coast (see above). The season does not start till June 1, this is not good news, similar to the wild Katrina season of 2005. Waters in the area are around 25C so it should not increase in intensity. It is drifting west at about 3mph with 45mph winds. Some rain and thunderstorms are pushing into the Carolina's with gusty winds from Hatteras to Jacksonville.

Spring has Sprung!

Hard to believe - but just a couple of days after the big April snow, we are snow free again. Just a few piles of "snirt" lying around in parking lots. Today's sunny, warm weather, with temperatures over 21C (70F) should put an end to that. So fire up the BBQ's and get the rake out it is going to be a spectacular weekend across our area.

By the way it took almost a week for the effects of that storm to leave us. Some time last evening the winds drifted out of the south putting an end to those cold, damp northeast winds that had been howling in our area since last Sunday. Enjoy the weather...please be safe.

Brockville this morning

Classic comma shape of Nor'Easter

Nor'Easter still pounding area

The powerful Storm centred near Long Island continues to pound our area with 50-80km/h winds and rain. Power is out to over 200,000 homes in Ontario and Quebec. So far 20cm of snow fell in the Ottawa to Brockville area with another 20-30mm of rain. Trees are down as are power lines. Flooding is also a problem as the snow begins to rapidly melt.


The most snow reported to date was Tupper Lake NY with 26 inches! In Ontario, Green Valley north of Cornwall had 25cm but Ottawa was not far behind. It was Kemptville's biggest storm of the winter, in April, go figure.



The rain and wind should taper off in Ontario and Quebec by tomorrow morning.

Flooding in New Jersey

This morning in Kemptville.....

15cm & counting...

Record Nor'Easter Slams area

The much anticipated nor'easter has delivered a hard hit to our area overnight. Heavy Snow began around midnight and has accumulated around 10cm in Kemptville and it continues to snow heavily. Visibility overnight was less than a km at times. The system this morning is near Long Island, NY. A dry slot and slightly milder air has moved into Montreal. At this time the precip is lighter there, but winds are fierce. A gust to 71km/h out of the northeast was reported in the last hour.

The weather is making for difficult travel with hundreds of flights cancelled in the east. Call ahead. Road travel is very difficult in a narrow band from Brockville to the Quebec border and north to Ottawa, with snow covered roads and low visibility. Power outages have been reported in NY State.

Yesterday the storm produced coastal flooding and a record 200mm (8 inches) of rain in Central Park. That was the second highest 24 hour total ever for NYC.

As expected, Environment Canada issued warnings at 0245 AM this morning, when everyone was sleeping, a full 24 hours after their US counterparts, for Heavy Snow in Eastern Ontario. I know it was a difficult forecast, but please! The MTO has been slow to respond with plowing this morning, but with no warnings in place, I imagine they were slow to react to the "rainy forecast" All in all this Nor'Easter behaved just as US forecasters said it would last Thursday. Needless to say travel safe today.

Record Snowstorm
possible for our area

Portions of our area will receive a tremendous amount of Wet SNOW tonight and Monday. Where? Well that is the tough call. It is going depend heavily on where you live and what your local wind and temperatures are when the precipitation falls. This is Accu-Weather's take on the storm, well worth reading....

http://wwwa.accuweather.com/news-blogs.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=0&blog=anderson

Looking at all the sources today I think 10-20cm of wet snow will fall in most areas, Montreal especially north of the city, and Ottawa, Cornwall, Kingston, with some areas seeing over 30cm particularly the higher elevations. Wind will be a big factor 60-80km/h in places.

The precipitation will begin today as rain and change over to snow by midnight tonight. The system responsible is off the Carolina Coast today and will move to Southern New England Monday.

Travel will be greatly affected along the entire east coast. Winter Storm Warnings are in effect for New York and New England and Heavy Rain Warnings for The Townships with Heavy Snow Warnings for the Laurentians north of Montreal. As usual no warnings are out for Ontario. I imagine those will be issued, typically, after the event begins. No sarcasm there!

Storm produces Tornadoes
across south.....
Snow expected in Kemptville

The big storm predicted to impact Ontario and Quebec spawned severe thunderstorms and tornadoes in North Texas last night killing one person. The storm is forecast to produce more severe weather across the US southeast before moving off the Carolina Coast Sunday. As it moves slowly north along the coast it will intensify rapidly. The storms wide circulation will produce coastal flooding and heavy precipitation.

Inland over interior sections of New England, Ontario and Quebec heavy wet snow will fall.
Here is what I think will happen in Kemptville. The rain snow line will be close for the duration of the storm but I feel it will go to all snow on Sunday night in Montreal and eastern Ontario. Amounts will vary due to topography and local temperatures but I feel 10-20cm of heavy wet snow is not out of the question by Monday morning. The snow will be whipped around by 30-60km/h winds form the northeast. It will be cold and miserable so stay home Sunday if you can and travel to work with great care Monday morning.

A Winter Storm Watch has been posted for all of upstate New York and Vermont. These may be extended northward into our areas later today.

Next update around 8pm tonight... The links at the left provide instant updates all day.

AP Photo of the day....Typical Spring 2007 scene in the

Eastern US and Canada.

Nor'Easter Sunday & Monday

could be record breaker

The Nor'Easter forecast to move up the Atlantic Coast late Sunday could be one for the record books. All indications are it will be a big snow maker for interior sections of the Northeast and Quebec and Ontario. Stay tuned. Below is a sat picture of the storm over the southwest US. Prepare for stormy weather Sunday and Monday.

Snow tonight!!

More snow is expected to overspread Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec tonight and Thursday. A Winter Storm Watch is still in effect for the valley area of upstate New York and Vermont. Warnings are in effect for the mountain areas. In Ontario and Quebec the snow should fall north of the 401/20. We can expect it to begin overnight and taper to flurries or showers by noon Thursday. Upwards of 8-13cm of snow may fall. It will be wet and heavy. The snow amounts will vary greatly by area depending on topography and the time of day the snow falls. This is very typical of a spring snowstorm, and it makes it hard to predict amounts. An example is last weeks storm in Montreal, no snow on the West Island and over 15cm on the south shore just 20 minutes to the southeast.

Adjust your speed tomorrow and be prepared for poor weather.

AP Picture of Snow in Cleveland...not baseball. Below: Valley Weather photo - the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway is underway, a ship sails east towards St. Lambert Locks, Quebec.

Another spring snowstorm...

Greetings everyone! It has been a couple of days since my last post, busy with Easter and all. Speaking of Easter it was a cold one with temperatures 8-10 degrees below normal and endless snow shower activity. The snow has measured up to 15cm across portions of Ontario and Quebec and more in New England.

This brings me to today. More snow is coming. A complex storm over the Rockies is spreading snow into Saskatchewan and Alberta. As the storm moves east it will spread steady precipitation into Ontario Wednesday and Quebec Thursday. At present it looks like snow for our area. It could be a significant snow event. It is too early to tell. We will update this storm early Wednesday. Keep it in mind if you have travel plans tomorrow through Friday in the east. A special weather statement is out for Ontario, and Winter Storm Watches have already been posted for the storm battered area of New Hampshire. The 1-2 feet of wet snow in that area last Thursday knocked out power to thousands of homes, the worst since the 98 ice storm.

Winter Storm Watches have just been posted as well for Upstate New York and Northern Vermont.

Next update at 7am Wednesday morning....

Late Season storm affects area

A late season winter storm is moving through the Great Lakes this afternoon with heavy snow and rain and the occasional rumble of thunder. The heavy rain in Kemptville, over 20mm expected, will switch over to a period of snow before ending tonight. Winds will become gusty to 50 km/h and stronger this afternoon. West of our area 15-25cm of snow is forecast north of Lakes Superior and Huron. South and east of our area Winter Storm Warnings have been posted for the Green and White Mountains and also in Southern Quebec and north of Montreal in the Laurentian Mountains where 20cm is expected.

It will be a windy and cold Easter Weekend with flurries and squalls. Travel will be poor in many areas tonight and Thursday and again on the weekend. Check the latest forecast before traveling this weekend.

Storm across southern Saskatchewan

A spring storm is expected to dump 10-15cm of snow across the extreme southwest portions of Saskatchewan tonight into Thursday. Hardest hit will be the Cypress Hills.

While Gravelbourg will be on the edge of the precipitation shield it will be affected by strong winds. Winds are expected to increase to the 50-70km/h range across the southland with gusts to 90km/h. Blizzard conditions may develop across the area closest to the Alberta border.

Winds and precipitation should subside from west to east early Thursday morning. Keep in mind that even where the rain falls, it may end as a period of wet snow Wednesday night, creating slick roads. Travel west into Alberta is not recommended tonight and tomorrow.

Cluster of storms along the 416 corridor into upstate New York...

First Thunderstorms of season

A big cluster of thunderstorms along a warm front is pushing into the North Grenville area this morning. A quick 10-15mm of rain with frequent lightning and thunder will occur east from the 416 towards Montreal till about noon. Lightning has already killed one person in Ontario this season. Remember to take cover when storms approach.

Heavy snow along the 416 at 6pm Saturday... PHOTO J. O'Halloran

Surprise Snow pounds 416 Corridor

A wild snowsquall produced low visibilities in heavy snow from Ogdensburg to Kemptville yesterday afternoon around the supper hour. Rain was forecast, but the squall moved in rapidly surprising most motorists, including me. I rarely get caught off guard. A forecast high of 7C with rain assured me of a safe trip to Watertown, NY. The day started with a brilliant sunrise, but rain began at noon, and then winds switched to the east and the air cooled just enough for one of the heaviest shots of snow in this area all winter. From 5-10cm coated everything and it fell in under two hours. Numerous cars hit the ditches.

A more springlike high of 8C with showers and thunderstorms is expected tomorrow and Tuesday will be even warmer, near 20C in Ontario.

Above: Kemptville this morning...Most of the snow melted by 4pm.

The Canadian Coast Guard ship the Martha L. Black, a light icebreaker based in Quebec City today traveling towards Montreal after going through the locks in Iroquois, Ontario on the St. Lawrence River. First commercial ship traffic to begin this Wednesday.

Photo J. Morin

Happy Spring!!!!!!!

Vernal Equinox, 8:07 P.M. EDT
The word equinox is derived from the Latin words meaning "equal night." The vernal, or spring, equinox is the point at which the Sun appears to cross the celestial equator from south to north, signaling the beginning of nature's renewal in the Northern Hemisphere...Old Farmers Almanac

St Patrick's Day Storm...

Snow is tapering off across the area with another 1-5cm expected in the area. Snow began in Kemptville around 9pm last night with the official measurement at 9cm. I have measured close to 15cm on my property so I am not sure why the big difference. In any event 15-25cm fell in most areas with winds of between 30-70km/h. Above and below are photos from this morning of the "9cm" of fresh snow, you be the judge.

Late Winter storm to slam area

A major storm system developing over the Mid-Atlantic Sates will move towards Boston overnight tonight. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for all of eastern Ontario excluding Ottawa, southern Quebec including Montreal, upstate New York and all of Vermont. Snow and blowing snow will overspread the area by 8pm and accumulate 15-25cm in most areas with 10-15cm in the Ottawa area. The snow will taper off Saturday afternoon. Already travel is being harshly affected in the northeast and expect more delay and cancellations in air travel. This comes on the heals of numerous flight cancellations from fog on Wednesday, ah March!

The snow will hamper Montreal's St Patrick's Day parade on Sunday, but the parade has seen major snow in the past. The storm is affecting the area very close to the anniversary of the March super storm in 1993.

If you can postpone travel Saturday please do so in southern Quebec and the 401 corridor.

The last of the Ice Fishing on the St. Lawrence River near Long Sault.

Photo: ValleyWeather

Warm temperatures and Flooding

Rapid & record warmth is melting the snow pack in a hurry. Area rivers are on the rise. A Flood Watch has been posted for upstate New York and New England. Adding to the flood potential is a slow moving cold front sagging south that is producing showers and the first thunderstorms of the season over Ontario and New York. 15-20mm of rain with isolated heavier amounts is possible over the next 24 hours. The temperature this morning in Kemptville was a warm 9C we are currently 12C, well above normal. Most of our snow disappeared overnight.

Speaking of snow, much colder air and low pressure developing over the US may provide us with a period of heavy wet snow Friday and Saturday. Forecasters use several computer models to help them prepare the forecast for any given area. All the models are proposing different scenarios at the moment, so there is not much confidence with the forecast. Stay tuned - updates to follow.

Spring has Sprung!

Spring is definitely making its presence known across most of southern Canada. Strong southwest winds in Saskatchewan pushed the mercury to the 20C mark in Maple creek, Gravelbourg and Assiniboia. Most of the snow is gone, and a dry southwest wind of 80-100km/h raced through the area. Peak gust was 102km/h in Maple creek.

The wind and record heat, 98F in Riverside California yesterday, fueled wildfires across southern California with fears of a long dry fire season in the west.

Meanwhile Ontario and Quebec are warming up. The mercury should be close to 10C today in many areas with near 20C in Windsor.

But.....

A strong cold front will bring us back to reality by Friday, with dare I say snow in the air...more on that later.

BIG Warm-up on the way

After the record setting cold of the last two nights a significant warm up is underway. It was -28C Wednesday morning, -26C yesterday and this morning in Kemptville. The transition will be marked by a little Freezing Rain in the St. Lawrence and Ottawa Valley's overnight. I have put the Special Weather Statement below. After the freezing rain, it will be mild right through next week with off and on showers. We could reach as high as 10C by mid-week.

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT ISSUED BY ENVIRONMENT CANADA ONTARIO REGION. 4:34 AM EST FRIDAY9 MARCH 2007.

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT ISSUED FOR...
BANCROFT - BON ECHO PARK CITY OF OTTAWA GATINEAU PRESCOTT AND RUSSELL CORNWALL - MORRISBURG HALIBURTON RENFREW - PEMBROKE - BARRY'S BAY ALGONQUIN.

A WARM FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL BE MOVING OVER THESE REGIONS FRIDAY NIGHT. AT THIS POINT IT IS EXPECTED THAT PRECIPITATION WILL BEGIN AS SNOW OVERNIGHT AND SWITCH TO RAIN SATURDAY MORNING. THERE IS HOWEVER THE RISK OF SEVERAL HOURS OF FREEZING RAIN IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS BEFORE THE TRANSITION TO ABOVE FREEZING TEMPERATURES IS COMPLETE. ENVIRONMENT CANADA IS MONITORING THE SITUATION CLOSELY AND WILL ISSUE A FREEZING RAIN WARNING FOR THE APPROPRIATE AREAS IF AND WHEN IT BECOMES NECESSARY. LISTEN FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION MAY ALSO BE FOUND BY CONSULTING THE LATEST PUBLIC FORECAST. http://www.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/city/pages/on-74_metric_e.html

Numerous accidents across region...

There were scores of accidents yesterday as high winds and squalls created white outs across Ontario. The picture above was taken by the Editor of The Iroquois Chieftain, Joe Morin along Highway 2 between Morrisburg and Iroquois. It had to be closed after several cars hit the ditch.

There were serious accidents north of Toronto as well where 75 cars were involved in a pile up on highway 400. Numerous injuries, some serious occurred.

The wind ushered in the coldest air of the season. It was -26C in Kemptville this morning with wind chills approaching -40C

Temperatures to plummet...

An Arctic front is on our doorstep this morning. The front just to the west of Ottawa at 7am will dive south and east across the forecast district today with temperatures dropping to -25 by Tuesday morning, and winds increasing. About 5cm of snow will accompany the front in heavy bursts along with 70km/h winds. The winds will persist into the evening producing cold windchill values and blowing snow. If travelling today be prepared for changeable weather. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for the mountains across New York and Vermont. Lake Effect Snow Advisories are posted for the lee of the lakes. Windchill Advisories are also posted for southwest Ontario including the GTA.

The high school in Enterprise, Alabama was destroyed yesterday...

Powerful Storm moves east

What a storm system, it was not bad right here in Kemptville, only about 10cm of ice and snow fell, but it had far reaching effects elsewhere. The storm produced a terrible amount of severe weather across the US south including Alabama. In Enterprise (Above) the twisters struck a school killing 8 students. The toll across the south from storms has exceeded 20. It has been an awful start to the severe weather season in Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi among other states.

In our area 10-20cm of sleet and ice and snow coated roads producing hundreds of accidents, several fatal. The 401 was closed in Kingston and again near Prescott because of serious accidents. The snow has moved east for the most part and is now over Montreal where it will end shortly. Winds were reported in the 30-50km/h range with the storm, however peak gusts of 85km/h were reported in North Bay and Toronto Island. Over 45mm or rain fell in Windsor/Detroit and thunder was reported as well.

Ice was falling off of the CN Tower this afternoon creating a very dangerous situation.

Only snow squalls and flurries will remain for the weekend. Icy patches still exist across Ontario so travel with care.

Highway 44 in North Grenville was icy today....

Winter Storm on our doorstep

The much talked about Winter Storm in as far east as Kingston at 3pm. Snow, sleet and Freezing rain has been falling across all of southwest Ontario with icing problems occurring. The snow will begin in Kemptville by about 9pm and into Montreal close to midnight. By morning amounts in the 10cm range could be on the ground with another 10cm on Friday. Winds will be a factor out of the east at 40-60kn/h and gusting over 70km/h in Montreal. Expect travel to be difficult on Friday. North/South roads like highway 13 and 15 will be difficult as will be the 401 between the Ontario border and Belleville.

Avoid travel if at all possible on Friday. It is always difficult to predict how much snow will fall in Kemptville, as we saw with the last storm. Best bets are that the heaviest snow will fall over Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec between Montreal, Ottawa and Cornwall. Checking with area weather offices the consensus seems to be for 15-25cm storm totals by Saturday morning.

Click on this link for updated warnings...Winter Storm Warnings are posted for all of our areas around the two provinces and upstate New York.

Major Storm for Valley

A Winter Storm Watch is now in effect for the entire area. Snow will overspread the region on Thursday from a developing low pressure area over the Midwest. It appears the heaviest snow will fall along the St. Lawrence Valley in Ontario, Quebec and New York with over 20cm expected. Gusty east winds will cause blowing snow. Temperatures will be mild so the snow will be wet and heavy. There is a risk of some sleet and freezing rain as well.

Travel will be very poor on Friday. Plan accordingly. More updates to follow....use the links along the side as well.

Storm by weeks end for
Ontario & Quebec

Low pressure developing over the US Midwest is expected to track towards the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes by Thursday and Friday. Snow, sleet and freezing rain in important quantities can be expected in the Seaway Valley, Ottawa and Montreal. A Special Weather Statement has been posted.

The storms exact track is still in question, but plan for poor travel in New England, New York, Ontario and southwest Quebec Thursday through Saturday morning. I will update this weather early Wednesday morning.

This is what 20 inches of snow looks like!

I took this in the border town of

Champlain, NY on Saturday.

Blame it on Alberta or thank them....

A series of Alberta Clippers and a flattened jet stream is calming the weather picture and moderating the temperatures in Ontario and Quebec. Much milder air is streaming northward in advance of the clippers - warming temperatures by as much as 20 degrees since yesterday morning. It is the first mild air in almost a month. A little light precipitation is occurring, patchy at best. A stronger clipper will dump 5-10cm of snow across the area Thursday.

The weekend will be excellent but a storm is moving in for late Sunday and Monday...more on that later.

Avalanche Risk High

You do not usually associate this with the Adirondacks, Green Mountains or the Townships, but this is good advice for anyone venturing into those areas this weekend...

937 AM EST THU FEB 15 2007...RISK FOR AVALANCHES IN THE NORTH COUNTRY...YESTERDAYS RECORD SNOWFALL HAS CREATED THE POTENTIAL FOR AVALANCHES IN THE BACK COUNTRY OF THE GREEN MOUNTAINS IN VERMONT AND THE ADIRONDACKS IN NORTHERN NEW YORK...ACCORDING TO STOWE MOUNTAIN RESCUE OFFICIALS. OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS HEADING INTO THE BACK COUNTRY THROUGH THE WEEKEND NEED TO BE AWARE OF THE AVALANCHE DANGER...AND RISKS INVOLVED. STEEP...OPEN SLOPES WILL HAVE THE HIGHEST AVALANCHE RISK. THE CONDITIONS CREATING THE AVALANCHE POTENTIAL WILL CONTINUE INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. IF YOU GO INTO THE ADIRONDACKS OR GREEN MOUNTAINS TO SNOWSHOE...SKI...OR ICE CLIMB...BE AWARE OF THE AVALANCHE DANGER...AND TAKE APPROPRIATE PRECAUTIONS.

Waterbury, Vermont-from my weather pal Jesse at AccuWeather.com

Weather bubble holds
Storm blasts some areas...not us

Well what can I say, once again the Kemptville weather bubble held. While areas all around us received heavy snow, we had the typical angel dust all day. Check out Waterbury/Stowe Vermont above....love that place! May move there one day!



The following is a partial preliminary list of amounts so far.

Kemptville 5cm at MNR building -
but this is too low I recorded at least double that around 10cm and another 2 or so overnight.
Montreal 15cm
Ottawa 12-17cm
Cornwall 25cm
Quebec City 25-40cm
Hamilton, ON 46cm
Sherbrooke, QC 50cm
Waterbury, Vermont 60cm



Winds will remain gusty today all areas with blowing snow. Travel slowly roads are still snow covered and icy.

Storm contiues....

Here is the latest.....

Blizzard Warning for all of New England and northern New York except the St. Lawrence Valley which is under a Winter Storm Warning, as is Eastern Ontario and southern Quebec.

Snow and blowing snow will continue till midnight with the heaviest snow south and east of Kemptville. Warnings were extended to Ottawa and Smiths Falls this afternoon. For all these regions close to 20cm will be on the ground.

For Cornwall and Montreal the snow will be more in the 30cm range.

For the Eastern Townships, Adirondacks, Green Mountains and Champlain Valley 40-60cm

Travel is not advised here where blizzard conditions are occurring.

Of Note Logan in Boston, La Guardia, JFK and Midway are closed according to FAA.COM - Elsewhere flights have been canceled in Toronto and Montreal, call ahead first.

Storm digs in

The big winter storm is reorganizing rapidly off the New Jersey coast this afternoon. Snow has been falling lightly in Kemptville all day, with winds slowly increasing. This trend will continue all afternoon. I am happy with the 15-20cm prediction for our area. Amounts and winds will increase rapidly as you head south and east. Montreal can expect at least 30cm of snow.
Radar returns are showing snow along I-87 and I-89 at 5-10cm per hour! Forecasters have a Blizzard Warnings posted and travel is not advised.
Burlington was down to a 1/4 mile visibility in heavy snow at noon. This will continue well into the overnight period with winds increasing to 30-60km/h an higher.

Travel with great care today roads through out the region are snow covered.

All Buses Cancelled in Leeds/Grenville
Valentines Day Storm

The snow began in Kemptville in the pre-dawn hours and is expected to last all day. The culprit is low pressure near Kentucky this morning and a secondary powerful storm developing off Cape Hatteras. As the second storm moves north the snow will become heavy over New England, New York and the St. Lawrence Valley.

At present over 20cm is expected in Kemptville and Montreal. This amount will easily be reached in Montreal and even more to the south. In New England 1-2 feet is forecast with travel not recommended.

Winter Storm Warnings are posted for all areas except metro Ottawa.
Blizzard Warnings are posted for all of New England and northern New York

Be very safe and travel wisely today......

Warnings Extended to Montreal and Kemptville
Major Storm heads for area

A powerful winter storm from the US Midwest will slide south of the area tomorrow and deepen rapidly off the Atlantic Coast. The storm will interact with the arctic air over our area and produce a wide swath of heavy snow. Heavy Snow and blowing snow warnings are now in effect for all of Upstate New York, Northern New England and southern Quebec and Ontario, including Kemptville, the Seaway Valley and Montreal.
The snow will begin after midnight tonight in our area and taper off late Wednesday. During the entire event it will remain bitterly cold with strong northeast winds over 50km/h. Near blizzard conditions will occur in may areas. Storm totals will be from 15-30cm in Ontario and Quebec and 30-60cm in New England and New York.

Avoid all unnecessary travel tomorrow along the 401/20 corridor.....stay tuned.

Heavy Snow Ontario-Quebec-New York

The winter storm sweeping into Ontario from the Midwest US will arrive in our area tonight. Snow accompanied by gusty winds and very cold temperatures will develop by evening and continue into Wednesday. The heaviest snow will fall along and south of the St. Lawrence River. Ottawa is expecting 10cm with Kemptville and Montreal around 15cm. Over 20cm will fall in New York State with as much as 40cm in the Adirondacks. This will be a very cold storm with winds of 30-50km/h and very cold wind chills. Travel will be difficult in many areas beginning tonight. The storm will arrive today in southwest Ontario so travel there will be bad today.

Heavy Snow Warning: New York/Vermont
Winter Storm Warning: South Shore of Montreal and Eastern Townships

Above: Over 10 feet!!! of snow has fallen in Mexico, NY in Oswego County.

More is on the way!

BIG Storm for
Great Lakes and St. Lawrence

Winter Storm Watches are flying over parts of Ontario and New York and will be extended into Eastern Ontario and Quebec tomorrow. The culprit is a major storm developing along the southern jet stream that will collide with this arctic air mass over our area. The result will be snow spreading from west to east across Ontario on Tuesday. It will continue into Wednesday combined with blustery east winds and biting cold. A general 15-30cm could fall across the watch area by Wednesday night. As the forecast track becomes more clear, the watches may be upgraded. Travel along the 401 corridor and south into the US will be very difficult tomorrow and Wednesday. The snow will taper off late Wednesday in Ontario.

• Yesterday strong southwest winds gusted over 60km/h and created blowing snow across area roads. Several accidents were reported.

The picture below is SD&G County Road 1.

State of Emergency

Declared in Oswego County

• In response to the more than 6 feet of snow that has buried Oswego, New York, the county has declared a State of Emergency at 9:15 this morning. The snow has been relentless since the weekend and another 1-2 feet is expected by late Friday. The snow has closed schools, businesses and roads. The declaration will allow for help to pour into the area to help with the clean up and aftermath.
• The snow and cold is a result of strong winds passing over the warmer Lake Ontario waters. The same is occurring north of the border off Lake Huron in places like Wiarton and Owen Sound.
• Elsewhere flurries and gusty winds are creating dangerous wind chills. The snow has been blamed on 16 deaths south of the border. On its closest approach to the Seaway and Kemptville, the snow reached only from Brockville to southern St. Lawrence County and the western Adirondacks, but no further north and east this week.

More squalls for
Upstate New York and Ontario

A heavy snowsquall this afternoon is brushing Prince Edward County with 15-25cm of snow. Travel is difficult in that area and along the adjacent 401. Snowy cold weather will continue in these areas. Elsewhere cold, and blustery weather with a few flurries will occur across eastern Ontario and Quebec.

If you are travelling south of the border down Interstate 81, keep in mind that travel in that area is difficult as well. A persistent snow band about 10 miles wide is moving north again into Jefferson County. It may affect Watertown again. Watertown received almost 30 inches of snow Friday through Sunday. Portions of I-81 were closed stranding travellers at the Salmon Run Mall. The same can be expected tonight. Go inland around this area if you can.

This pattern is expected to continue into the weekend. Stay tuned for more information - but travel with great care around any of the Great Lakes for the next few days.

No Shadow for Phil or Willie

Despite the snow squalls, biting cold and blizzards this week, both Phil and Willie expect an early spring. I on the other hand disagree, but what do I know!

Greetings from Punxsutawney!
Phil Says Spring is Right Around the Corner!
Phil's official forecast as read 2/2/07 at 7:28 a.m. at Gobbler's Knob:

El Nino has caused high winds, heavy snow,

ice and freezing temperatures in the west.

Here in the East with much mild winter weather we have been blessed.
Global warming has caused a great debate.

This mild winter makes it seem just great.
On this Groundhog Day we think of one thing.

Will we have winter or will we have spring?
On Gobbler's Knob I see no shadow today.

I predict that early spring is on the way.

And from Willie......

There was no shadow on the ground

Which means that spring will come around.

Flowers will bloom and life will begin

The waters will warm then we can jump in.

Children will laugh as they learn to ride

Boaters will rise and fall with the tide

The golfers appear out on the greens

People line up to taste new ice creams.

A warm breeze will brush on your cheek

The waters will rise on some of the creeks

Farmers will plant their first set of crops

Windows and doors will open on shops

The Town of South Bruce Peninsula is worth driving to

If your looking for springtime activities to do.

Ride a horse, catch a fish, hike the trails, if you can.

So many things to do you might need a plan.

If you don’t have time to enjoy everything.

Feel free to visit again in the spring.

There’s plenty to do throughout the whole year.

Especially now that spring time is near!

C. Wyonch

Downtown Kemptville at 9am today

Warnings issued for Merrickville & Kemptville
Squalls affecting Kemptville and 401


A series of snow squalls riding on moist southwest winds off Lake Ontario is currently affecting Leeds and Grenville Counties. A Snow Squall Warning has been posted for the counties bordering Lakes Ontario & Erie as far east as the 416 and north as Kemptville. All highways in the area are snow covered and visibility is poor in blowing snow. The squalls should last most of the day and will accumulate 10-15cm locally. This will be followed by another system giving another 5-8cm of snow on Friday. More cold arctic air will plunge south over the weekend and into next week.

Keep your pets warm as well this weekend!

Serious Cold over Ontario & Quebec

A biting northwest wind is bringing the coldest air of the season across from the far north, over the Great Lakes and into the St. Lawrence Valley. Currently it is -20C with a windchill of -29C in Kemptville. It will "warm" a few degrees this afternoon but the wind will see that it remains dangerously cold. Windchill Warnings remain in effect for the St. Lawrence Valley today. Some flurry activity occurred as well. This created black ice on many roads.

Yesterday, squalls to the lee side of Lake Erie created a massive pile up on I-90 near Erie, PA. killing one.

Tomorrow- a clipper type system will move through our area with 2-5cm of snow and gusty winds. Behind the storm more cold air will be drawn south. The changeable winds will also cause more snow squalls along the Great Lakes. Travel with great care this weekend and make certain you have warm clothing in case your car breaks down. The cold air will last well into next week.

Polar Vortex set to move south

Sounds scary doesn't it. It should! The coldest air of the season is set to move into Ontario and New York this week. It is already having an effect on our weather as snow squalls developed in the southwest flow ahead of the polar front. 5-10cm of snow fell quickly in a stretch along the 401 from Belleville to Brockville today. Roads are slick and cars are in the ditch.

Further south in New York State, Lake Effect Snow advisories have been posted for St. Lawrence, Franklin and Jefferson Counties. 10-15cm of snow may fall in those locations. Gusty winds and dropping temperatures will occur as well. As the front approaches our area overnight, a shot of 5cm or so of snow may occur in Kemptville and the 416 corridor. Once the front passes very cold arctic air will surge south with temperatures dropping to -25 to -30C on Thursday and Friday mornings.

Winter weather woes

Above: AP Photo of Snow in Southern California. It fell for the first time since 1962. It is spreading east tonight into Texas and the deep South.

Meanwhile AP Photo of ice accumulation on trees and power lines, that has caused scores of power grids to fail across the Midwest US and now the Southeast. Over 60 deaths have now been blamed on the storms. Snow will spread into New England, Eastern Quebec and the Maritimes tonight and Friday.

Bitter Cold in Kemptville
More Winter Weather on the way

The snow of this week will be around for some time to come. Kemptville received about 10cm from Monday's storm with Ottawa 10cm and Montreal and The Seaway closer to 20cm.

The snow was followed by brisk winds and biting cold. This morning Kemptville bottomed out at -27C for our coldest morning in nearly two years. The extended forecast will see more cold air dive south for the weekend. Temperatures will warm slightly with flurries tomorrow and Friday. A general 5cm of snow may accumulate in our regions (Montreal/Ottawa/Kingston) with more across higher terrain and near the snowbelts of Lakes Erie and Huron. As the snow tapers late Friday more arctic air on strong northwest winds will develop. A departing coastal storm that is providing lots of ice across the deep south today will move into the Maratimes this weekend. Heavy snow will fall in New Brunswick and Eastern Quebec.

Next week several clipper systems will bring more light snow, wind and cold to the Great Lakes and Quebec. Winter is here for a little while longer!

Stormy day in Ontario & Quebec

The first snowstorm of the season is upon us. Snow began falling in Kemptville about 5am this morning and will spread east into Quebec as the day progresses. A general 10-15cm snowfall is expected with closer to 20cm along the US border. Freezing Rain and sleet is not out of the question in places. The 401 corridor is not recommended for travel today. If you can delay; tomorrow will be great. Winter Storm Warnings are in effect for the St. Lawrence Valley on both sides of the border and for southwest Quebec. Warnings are also posted for New York & Vermont.

The coldest air of the season will pour in behind the storm with temperatures down to minus 25C by Wednesday morning. More snow is expected later in the week.

The same storm has produced an ice storm from north central Texas into Illinois with power outages reported. In Ohio and Pennsylvania major flooding has occurred.

Winter Storm Watch

A Winter Storm Watch has been posted for the entire St. Lawrence Valley.
Low pressure organizing in the Midwest US will slide along a frontal boundary south of our area Monday. Snow will begin in Kemptville overnight and taper to flurries late Monday. Amounts are tricky as we will be on the fringe of the storm. Ottawa can expect 5-10cm while Kemptville south to the US frontier about 10-15cm.

On the US side watches have already been upgraded to warnings with 10-25cm of snow forecast. It will be a cold snow, unlike what we have had so far this year. Winds will be only about 30km/h throughout the storm. Roads will be icy and slippery. Plan your travel accordingly. Stay tuned for updates....

Potential Northeast
Snowstorm Sunday

As you go about your weekend routine keep and eye on the latest forecast. The front that is expected to slide through Ontario, Quebec and New England will stall south of our area tomorrow. Low pressure will develop in the Ohio Valley and intensify as it moves to the Atlantic Coast. At this time the potential exists for 15 or more cm (6 inches) of snow Sunday into Monday in Eastern Ontario, Ottawa and Montreal. Winds may produce blowing snow as well. It will be very cold - not like recent snow events. Stay tuned for further updates as the forecast becomes more clear.

Blizzard intensifies in
Saskatoon area

The Blizzard affecting central Saskatchewan has Saskatoon and area roads closed. Visibility at the airport has been zero for the last 7 hours with winds over 80km/h and moderate snow.

The following roads are closed according to Sask Highways:

TRAVEL NOT RECCOMENDED west of Yorkton towards Saskatoon, nor for highways north of Yorkton and east towards the Manitoba Border
HIGHWAYS IN WYNYARD AREA ARE TEMPORARILY CLOSED The following highways in the Saskatoon area are temporarily CLOSED due to zero visibility, blowing and drifting snow, and travel not recommended.Hwy 5, 41, 16, 11, 12, 7, 14, 219, 27, 2, 312, 20, 225, 320. North Battleford Area highways are temporarily closed due to zero visibility, blowing and drifting snow, and travel not recommended.
TRAVEL NOT RECOMMENDED In Unity, Kerrobert, Kindersley, Eston and Rosetown areas. #3 Highway East and West of Melfort is CLOSED due to Zero Visibility, Loose Snow, Snow Drifts, Swirling Snow, Drifting Snow, Travel is not recommended in the Tisdale, Nipawin, Melfort and Cumberland House areas.
TRAVEL NOT RECCOMENDED throughout the Prince Albert AreaMeadow Lake Area Highways are temporarily CLOSED due to zero visibility, blowing and drifting snow. Hwy 905 Points North Landing to Black Lake - water across road at km 21...

Blizzard across Saskatchewan
Colder in the east

Could it be that the much anticipated winter of 2006/2007 is finally upon us. The mild weather has had everyone and their sister speculating that Global Warming had reached us finally. This may be the case, too soon to tell, but I have a feeling this particular mild spell is more dramatic and short term in duration then Global Warming will be. Blame this warm spell and wild weather on El Nino.

We enjoyed double digit record highs last weekend, and even though it is -11C in Kemptville today, it really is not as cold as it should be. That is about to change and has already for some parts of the country. A fierce blizzard has closed highways and schools in Alberta and Saskcatchewan today. It will spread east into Manitoba. Meanwhile a storm system is expected to gather strenght in the US southwest and combined with cold air over our area, may provide us with freezing rain and snow into next week. It will definately turn colder next week and stay that way for awhile. Temperatures in Alberta will plummet into the -30C range with some of that cold air spreading east.

Prepare yourself for a shock now by getting out your boots and making sure your car is ready in Ontario and Quebec. It is on the way!!

Photo above is the little snow that fell over the

holiday period, about 12cm on Boxing Day.

Happy New Year everyone.....

Different year, Same weather!

The New Year has arrived with more incredible warmth here in Ontario and Quebec. It is 5C today or about 10-15 degrees above normal. We have had a run of 20-25 days above normal in Eastern Ontario, Northern New York and Southwest Quebec. Temperatures have been well above normal, and will continue that way into this weekend. As a matter of fact forecast highs in the teens Celsius may break all time records for Montreal over the weekend. No cold air or snowstorms are expected for the near future. A slight cool down will occur by Sunday.

Snowmobiles continue to sit idle and the Rideau Canal in Ottawa has no ice on it. We may be looking at an ice free year on the canal if we do not get some cold weather soon.

Black ice may be a problem on roads as evening temperatures sit just near 0C and frost occurs on elevated and shaded surfaces. Several cars hit the ditch this morning.

Christmas Greetings everyone....
After a long break from any type of severe weather a potent storm, that gave the major blizzard to the high plains, is moving towards Ontario. The storm will past well west of our area and bring more mild air with it. Before that happens freezing rain will develop in the St. Lawrence and Ottawa Valley this afternoon and tonight. Freezing Rain Warnings have been posted for those areas. With holiday travel and shopping on deck, you are advised to proceed with caution today.

After this storm Christmas will be quiet, our attention will turn to Boxing Day and a potential east coast snowstorm. Early indications are that this storm may move close enough to the coast to dump heavy snow on the Ohio Valley, interior New England and eastern Ontario & west Quebec. It is still early but in any event plan for winter weather driving, something we have not had in some time.

Again Merry Christmas and Be Safe!

Tree damage in Kemptville

250,000 without power
at height of Storm
What an introduction to winter and the mont of December. The powerful winter storm that swept in from the southern US dumped all kinds of precipitation on Ontario and Quebec. A major ice storm in the Ottawa and Rideau Valley's cut power to almost 250,000 homes in Ontario and Quebec. The ice, in some case nearly 25mm of it, downed scores of trees across the area and east into Montreal. The damage was quite extensive with downed power lines and snapped poles. Just a walk around my property revealed tremendous tree damages.

Roads were icy from Kemptville north with many cars in the ditch Friday and Saturday morning. I even witnessed thunder and lightning in the Seaway. The two day rain total for Kemptville was over 50mm.

Power was restored to most areas by Sunday morning. We had to close down work early Friday as a result of the storm knocking out power. If that were not enough, the ice laden trees were whipped by 70-90km/h per hour winds overnight into Saturday morning.

Further west it was heavy snow across the upper Midwest and northern plains. Cold air in the back side of the storm and flurries invaded the region yesterday and today.

Ice in Kemptville Friday...

Storm Update...

The winter storm affecting portions of Ontario and Quebec today is reaching far west and south. At 12 NOON today it is at the freezing point in Kemptville with moderate rain. It is currently snowing in Renfrew and Freezing Rain in Montreal, Cornwall and Ottawa. Road surfaces in our area appear to be ice free.

To the south severe thunderstorms with some tornadic activity have sprouted up in the warm sector of the storm across Ohio and Pennsylvania. Meanwhile Blizzard conditions prevail across the upper Midwest in Michigan and Wisconsin.

The back edge of the precipitation is moving into southwest Ontario. By the supper hour the precip should begin to taper off in Kemptville and Leeds Grenville. It will last longer in Montreal. Winds will become gusty in the St. Lawrence Valley and along Lake Ontario shoreline.

Major Storm for
Ontario/Quebec

The first wide spread winter storm is heading for the St Lawrence and Ottawa Valley's. A major storm will slide north from Mississippi to lie near Massena, NY tomorrow night. In the wake of today's cold front - arctic air is pushing into the valley's. As the warmer air with tomorrow's system overrides the cold air, freezing rain will develop. A Freezing Rain Warning is in effect for Kemptville, The National Capital District and most of the Ottawa Valley. Over 20mm of ice is possible with this storm. Further north, snow 10-20cm will fall with rain to the south. In all areas winds will be very strong. There is even the risk of thunderstorms along the St. Lawrence Valley.

Flooding will be possible along the Lake Shores of Erie and Ontario at the east ends of both lakes. Waves will be as high as 17 feet on the lake front.

This is a dangerous weather situation developing in our area. Stay tuned.....

Record Highs East...
Record Cold West...

The roller coaster that is Canadian weather rolls on. We are currently between plus 16 & 18C in Eastern Ontario, Upstate NY and Quebec. Many areas have surpassed the record high for today. The same will occur tomorrow before a strong cold front and developing storm over the lower Mississippi Valley deliver us a wicked change. Rain will begin tomorrow in Ontario and spread into Quebec. As cold air moves into the area the rain will change to wet snow from north to south on Friday. Winds will increase from the northwest and temperatures will drop. There is even the risk of thunderstorms along the front.

Meanwhile in the west, mid-winter conditions prevail. Parts of BC are getting more snow today. This comes only hours after BC Hydro finished restoring power from last weekends storm that dumped 45cm in places. Temperatures across the prairies are frigid. Edmonton was -37C today beating a record that had stood since 1964. Numerous other minimum records fell across Alberta and Saskatchewan. In Saskatchewan the blizzard that raged in the southern part of the province closing many highways will lessen today. The cold will remain.

Stay tuned for more updates and any Ontario or Quebec warnings......

Coastal Storm produces
major flooding

A powerful coastal storm off of the North Carolina Outer Banks is pounding the shore northward into New England. Warnings are out for the entire coastlines as 15-20 foot seas cause flooding and beach erosion. The waves are building in northeast winds that have gusted over 65mph. Many roads have had overwash along the immediate coast including Cedar Island and Oriental, NC

Accompanying the wind has been between 100-200mm of rain. The storm is expected to remain just offshore as it moves north towards the Canadian Maratimes. A brief period of freezing rain is expected tonight and early tomorrow across southern interior New England. Any persons traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday should listen for the most recent forecasts. It takes only a little freezing rain to make any untreated roads very dangerous. We have had little snow or ice in most of the east so far this year, so it will take a little getting used to.

North Carolina Twister damage

Wicked weather across country

A series of fall storms has been pounding both coasts for much of the last 24 hours. The BC coast has had wind gusts over 100km/h with rainfall amounts of over 100mm. Flooding and wind damage is widespread with over 200,000 customers without hydro.

In the east it has been unseasonable thunderstorms and tornadoes. Seven people were killed from storms in North Carolina last night. Heavy rain and strong winds stretch from the Carolinas to Ontario and Quebec. Tonight heavy rain warnings are in effect for our area, Leds & Grenville Counties as we add to the over 325mm that has fallen in Kemptville since September 1.

In addition severe thunderstorms are racing across St. Lawrence County NY. To the west of the system cold air flooding south across Michigan and western Ontario is producing snow and freezing rain.

Serious flooding is occurring in New York State and Pennsylvania as the moisture latent storm continues to move northeast into Quebec tonight.