▶ Video · Forecast

The first major winter storm of the season arrives tomorrow

By Eddie Sheerr·December 2, 2025 · 4:58 PM

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Well, today is a beautiful Tuesday afternoon across Newfoundland and Labrador — but tomorrow afternoon will look nothing like this. A significant mid-week winter storm is lining up, and it’s going to hit different parts of the province in very different ways.

Let’s break it all down.

Labrador: Quiet but Cold

Labrador’s forecast is pretty straightforward over the next 24 hours.

• Flurries tonight

• Temperatures dipping into the –20s in the west and –teens along the coast

• Sunshine returns Wednesday for coastal communities

• Highs reaching around –6°C in Mary’s Harbour

Simple, cold, and calm — not much to stress about here.

Snow Arrives on the Island Tonight Into Wednesday Morning

Across Newfoundland, the snow moves into the south coast late tonight, spreading north into central, northeastern Newfoundland, the Burin Peninsula, and the Avalon by near sunrise Wednesday.

Overnight lows will be below freezing, so everything sticks.

Wednesday: Heavy Snow, High Winds, and a Tricky Rain/Snow Line

This storm is going to be messy, especially for eastern Newfoundland. Here’s what to expect:

Avalon & Burin Peninsulas

• Snow develops early Wednesday morning

• Snowfall rates of 5–8 cm/hr are likely mid-morning — that’s intense

• A sharp rain/snow line sets up

• Many areas go snow → ice pellets → rain → back to snow by Wednesday evening

Travel will become very difficult by mid-morning.

Central, Northeastern & Western Newfoundland

• Much more straightforward

• Just snow and wind throughout the day

• Widespread 15–30 cm expected in central and northeast areas

• Heavier totals (30–40+ cm) from the northern Burin Peninsula to the Bonavista Peninsula, Terra Nova, Clarenville, and the Connaigre region

Northern Peninsula

• Lighter event

• Around 5 cm or less, especially near St. Anthony

Weather Alerts Explained

Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued a mix of orange (winter storm) and yellow (snowfall/wind) warnings across the Island.

A key reminder: No alert does NOT mean no snow — it just means impacts aren’t expected to reach warning criteria.

Current highlights:

• Orange winter storm warnings:

  • Bonavista Peninsula

  • Clarenville area

  • Terra Nova

  • Connaigre

  • Up to 40 cm possible

• Yellow snowfall warnings:

  • Burgeo–Ramea

  • Buchans & the Interior

  • Grand Falls–Windsor

  • Bay of Exploits

  • Gander

  • Bonavista North

  • Avalon Peninsula

  • Up to 20–30 cm depending on location

• Yellow wind warnings:

  • Burin Peninsula Wednesday

  • Avalon Peninsula Wednesday evening into Thursday

  • Gusts up to 100 km/h from the north/northeast

Why the Avalon Forecast Is So Tricky

This is one of those situations where the forecast could be bang-on or way off, depending on the exact placement of the rain/snow line.

Model guidance for St. John’s is all over the place:

• ECMWF: ~15 cm

• GFS: ~15 cm

• RDPS: ~28 cm

• GRAF: ~5 cm

A huge spread.

The reason?
Snowfall rates will spike rapidly mid-morning — and if the changeover to ice pellets/rain is delayed even a couple of hours, totals could jump significantly.

Timing the Worst Conditions

Early Morning (6–9 AM)

• Snow ongoing across eastern and central Newfoundland

• Heaviest along the south coast and Burin Peninsula

Mid-Morning to Early Afternoon

• Peak snowfall rates (5–8 cm/hr) on the Avalon

• Rapid deterioration in travel conditions

• Snow begins mixing with ice pellets/rain later in the afternoon

Evening

• Precipitation transitions back to snow on the Avalon and Burin

• Winds ramp up dramatically — gusts near 100 km/h

• Snow tapers off west → east overnight

Thursday

• Quiet, colder

• Widespread cleanup day

• Strong chance of school and business closures across many areas Wednesday

Late Week Outlook

• Thursday: Calm and cool

• Friday: Another system arrives

  • Rain → snow for eastern Newfoundland

  • Significant snow possible again for central and western areas

  • Labrador turns much colder

More on this one tomorrow.

Final Thoughts

This is shaping up to be a high-impact storm for much of Newfoundland, especially the Avalon, Burin, Bonavista Peninsula, Clarenville, and northeastern regions. The snowfall forecast for the Avalon is particularly challenging, but confidence is high in the timing and intensity of the snow mid-morning Wednesday.

I’ll have updates throughout the evening and again tomorrow as this storm evolves. Stay tuned — and stay safe.

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I’ll have my next update posted over the weekend.

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