Weather warnings issued for nearly all of Canada's provinces and territories

Nearly every province and territory in Canada is subject to weather advisories heading into the weekend.

Environment Canada issued advisories for areas of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Quebec and Ontario. Warnings are also in place in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, B.C. and all three territories.

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The only areas not currently under a weather watch, warning or statement are New Brunswick and P.E.I.

Individual warnings are in place for dozens of communities, and with forecasters warning of extreme cold, blizzards, snow squalls, potentially damaging wind and heavy rain.

A forecast from The Weather Network earlier this year warned that after the warmest winter on record (2023-24), the season would be trying to “salvage its reputation” in 2024-25.

Forecasters with the network called for bitter cold across the country, and ice in the west. The seasonal sketch suggested snow well into March, with a late start to spring conditions.

East Coast

“Most of Newfoundland” is under a special weather statement, Environment Canada advised Friday, with forecasters expecting “significant snowfall, rainfall, and strong winds” over the weekend.

The snow isn’t expected to start until Sunday, and the wintry conditions will stick around through Monday morning, weather statements for 20 areas including St. John’s say.

New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island are not under any advisories as of noon local time, but some Nova Scotia residents are advised that a “significant winter storm” is expected Sunday into Monday. Snow and wind are expected to be worst in the Cape Breton area, especially over the Highlands and western regions. 

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Quebec

Nine sections of Quebec are under weather statements Friday, including up north in Ivujivik and along James Bay, where blizzard conditions are possible.

Environment Canada meteorologists are warning of heavy snow until midday Saturday, and strong wind gusts due to a “large, intense weather system.”

The storm hitting Newfoundland and Labrador on Sunday prompted advisories in bordering areas of Quebec as well.

Many of the advisories and warnings issued Thursday have been called off, including those just north of Quebec city.

Ontario

Swathes of southwestern and northern Ontario are warned of worse-than-usual wintry conditions, with two dozen advisories issued as of 11 a.m. local time.

Snow squall warnings and watches have been issued for areas including: Barrie, Goderich, Guelph, Hanover, Innisfil, Kitchener, Listowel, London, Newmarket, Orillia and Wingham. Read all 24 here.

Some spots will see as much as 60 centimetres of snow by Saturday evening, the warnings suggest.

Many communities along the Lake Ontario shoreline were under warnings or watches on Thursday, but so far on Friday cities including Toronto, Mississauga, Oakville, Oshawa and Belleville are not subject to any advisories.

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Blowing snow is possible further north in areas including Fort Severn, Moosonee and Webequie.

A graphic from Environment Canada shows weather warnings in place as of 6:30 a.m. EST on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025.

Prairies

Just two areas of Manitoba are under alerts as of 10 a.m. local time: Brochet and Tadoule Lake. 

Residents of both sections up north are warned to brace for “extreme cold,” with air temperatures around -35 and wind chills approaching -50 Friday. Forecasters expect the bitter cold to stick around through Saturday, “before moderating somewhat Sunday.”

While Manitoba’s alerts cover a large geographical area, they are small in number. One province over, there are 190 warnings in place in Saskatchewan.

As of 10 a.m. local time, extreme cold is expected in cities including Lloydminster, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert Regina and Saskatoon, as well as in dozens of regional municipalities.

Wind chill values near -45 were in the forecast Friday morning across the north of the province, and -40 further south, including in Regina. The actual temperatures aren’t much warmer, with forecast highs around -30 C in the capital as well as up north.

Environment Canada said it’s expected to warm up a bit during the day, but the extreme cold could return overnight and into Saturday.

Alberta

Warnings are in place in northern, central-eastern and southern Alberta due to forecast extreme cold and heavy snowfall.

A total of 158 warnings were issued as of 9 a.m. local time, with forecasters warning of wind chill values as low as -40 in some areas easing through the day and returning overnight.

Extreme cold warnings are in place in Lloydminster, Red Deer, Athabasca and dozens of other locations.

Other regions including Cardston and Lethbridge are under snowfall warnings. The snow’s expected to start in the afternoon and continue through Saturday. While the maximum total amount expected is only 15 centimetres, meteorologists warned that visibility may be suddenly reduced as it falls.

B.C.

Three warnings are in place in British Columbia, warning of strong wind, snowfall and extreme cold.

Wind gusts near the mouth of the Howe Sound may be strong enough to cause damage, Environment Canada warned Friday.

About five centimetres of snow was enough to prompt a warning for parts of the Fraser Valley, where forecasters are warning about slippery conditions.

Up north at the border with Yukon, an extreme cold warning is in place for the Teslin area, where wind chill values are expected to approach -50.

Territories

Nunavut’s Coral Harbour is under a blizzard warning as a low-pressure system moves in, bringing gusting winds and blowing snow. These conditions are expected to get worse Friday night and continue through to Sunday morning, the forecast says.

Extreme cold warnings first issued earlier this week remain in effect in five regions of the Northwest Territories.

At the coldest points, the wind chill values could dip down to -55, the warnings say. This extreme cold is expected to get worse Friday evening, and could last through the weekend.

The warnings are in place for the Fort Good Hope, Lutsel K’e, Norman Wells-Tulita, North Slave and Wrigley regions.

Similarly bitter temperatures remain in the forecast for much of Yukon, where the wind chill may be as cold as -50 Friday to Sunday, before warming up a bit on Monday.

Extreme cold warnings are in effect for the following regions: Beaver Creek, Dawson, Dempster, Faro-Ross River, Mayo, Old Crow, Pelly-Carmacks and Teslin.