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Snow Flurries and Squalls Ease By Thursday Morning, Ahead of Next Weather-Maker

By Eddie Sheerr·January 21, 2026 · 3:20 PM

Some of the coldest air in the country now stretches from Manitoba through Labrador and into parts of Newfoundland, and that’s creating a perfect setup for intense snow squalls and very low wind chills across the province today.

That bitterly cold air moving over relatively warm ocean waters is driving unstable conditions, producing narrow but powerful bands of snow — similar to lake-effect snow seen around the Great Lakes.

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Where snow squalls are active

As of mid-afternoon, radar shows consolidated snow squalls affecting:

• Parts of the west coast

• The Burin Peninsula

• Portions of the southern Avalon Peninsula

Some locations may not look overly snowy at any given moment, but conditions can change quickly. In exposed areas, near-blizzard conditions have been reported due to blowing snow and strong winds.

When conditions improve

The good news: the atmosphere starts to warm overnight, and while flurries and squalls will continue into Thursday morning, they should be less intense than what we’re seeing today. Western and southern Newfoundland should see squalls ease after midnight, with clearer skies developing in many areas not under squalls or flurries.

Wind chills remain harsh

Even as snowfall eases, wind chills remain the main concern:

• Wind gusts today reached 70–80 km/h in several locations

• Wind chills are running from the minus teens to minus 40s

• Thursday morning will still be bitterly cold for students heading to school, but conditions will improve during the day, especially on the island.

Next weather system: Friday

A new system arrives late Thursday night into Friday. While not a major storm, it will be noticeable:

• Snow spreads across much of Newfoundland Thursday afternoon and evening

• Some areas may briefly change to rain Thursday night, especially on the Burin and Avaln Peninsulas

• Snowfall amounts:

  • Avalon, northeast coast, Bonavista Peninsula: up to 5 cm

  • South coast: 5–15 cm

  • Higher terrain and inland areas: 15 cm or more

  • West coast and Northern Peninsula: generally 5–15 cm

Yes — after all this cold, some snow may end as rain in eastern Newfoundland. Slush season continues.

Weekend and beyond

Friday looks manageable once the system moves through. The weekend is generally quieter:

• Labrador West stays extremely cold, with highs near −27°C

• Occasional flurries for coastal areas

• Saturday and Sunday look mostly dry for many regions

  • There is a chance of snow in eastern areas Saturday, but that uncertain at the moment

Looking ahead, Tuesday is a day to watch, as models suggest a potentially stronger system could track near eastern or southern Newfoundland. Confidence is still low, but it’s on the radar.

More updates coming as the forecast becomes clearer.

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I’ll have my next update posted tomoorrow morning!

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