Markham, ON - February 2008 is going to arrive into much of Ontario, Quebec, and parts of the Maritime Provinces as a roar. A major winter storm is expected for these areas, with the worse impacted parts (snowfall wise) stretching from London, Ontario northwest to Gatineau, Québec. As a result, Environment Canada had issued a Winter Storm Warning (upgraded from a watch at around 2 pm - 3 pm EST).

The low originally started in the Pacific Ocean, which had dumped some wet snow and rain around the Greater Vancouver Area. It gradually moved down to Arkansas. As it moves down, it loses its energy. However, as it move close to Arkansas, the low encounters a strong northerly polar air as well as the very moist and warm air from the Gulf of Mexico. These two combinations could only mean one thing: A stir-up of a strong storm. The moisture component had provided the low an excellent source for continuous and strong precipitation, and the cold/warm air contrast provides steady energy for the storm to continue to churn.

The storm is now riding on the jet stream, moving north from Arkansas. At 16:20 EST, the storm centre is located at around Tennessee, with its rain/snow line stretching at the Illinois / Kentucky State Line. According to the GFS (12Z), the storm is entering much of Southern Ontario at around Friday 1 am. However, recent radar imageries indicates that the arrival time for much of Southern Ontario can be much earlier. On Friday 1 pm, the storm's precipitation band will enter into Southern Quebec. By 7 pm, much of the heaviest bands move out of Southern Ontario (though Southern Ontario is still snowing by then), and move into Southern Ontario and the Maritime Provinces.

The system also brings a mini warm surge with it. It is expected for the temperature in Southwestern Ontario to go to a "dangerous" level where freezing rain could fall. In fact, precipitation could briefly change into rain for the shores of Lake Erie. Niagara Peninsula and Hamilton will see freezing rain as well as snow. Anything north of the Lake Erie shore and Niagara Peninsula should primarily stay as snow, unless the storm track changes.

Also, we are expecting primarily mix precipitation for anything east of the Saint Lawrence River (Except Gaspé Peninsula). Kings County in Nova Scotia (Southern Nova Scotia near Yarmouth) could see a primary rain event.

Precipitation Forecast and Map to follow.

Precipitation projections would come

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