Sluggish East Coast storm threatens sneaky early-week snows

A busy spell of active weather rolls into the new workweek across the East Coast as a dynamic storm blankets the region.

Heavy rain that arrived in the Maritimes on Sunday isn’t leaving in a hurry. Colder air to the north will force very heavy snow to persist in parts of New Brunswick.

Newfoundland is in for a sloppy mix of rain and snow, which is no picnic after a historic snowstorm slammed parts of the island a few days ago.

If that’s not enough of a treat, we’re looking at the chance for more snow in the Maritimes by Tuesday.

PHOTOS: Messy winter storm blankets parts of Newfoundland

Maritimes deal with heavy rain, snows Sunday night into Monday

A strong low-pressure system will take its time moving across Atlantic Canada over the next couple of days. The centre of the storm moved over the heart of the Maritimes, dividing the region between heavy rain and heavy snow.

Rainfall warnings remain in effect into Sunday night for southern portions of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia as warm air and plenty of moisture fuelled steady downpours.

Winter storm and snowfall warnings persist for the northern half of New Brunswick where cold air allows precipitation to fall as a heavy, wet snow. Very heavy snowfall rates could reach 5 cm per hour on Sunday evening and into the overnight hours.

Folks mired in the cold rain should wind up with about 20-40 mm in the gauges before the steady precipitation ends from west to east through Monday morning.

Gusty winds of 70 km/h shouldn’t be too much of an issue, but some localized power outages are possible.

Mixed precipitation hits snow-struck Newfoundland on Monday

Our stubborn low-pressure system will gradually make its way east into the day Monday, forcing precipitation to cross the Gulf and begin washing over Newfoundland.

Expect rain to start across Newfoundland’s southern shores and the Avalon Peninsula through the late morning and early afternoon hours. Cold air over central Newfoundland will allow precipitation to fall as wet snow into Thursday afternoon.

Story continues

RELATED: Be aware of your heart while shovelling heavy snow

Folks on the Avalon Peninsula can expect a wintry mix as temperatures hovering around freezing allow for periods of rain and snow. Rainfall warnings are in place as the region continues digging out from the 40-80 cm of snow we saw just a few days ago.

Localized flooding and pooling is likely as heavy rain falls on the thick snowpack. Try to clear excess snow away from storm drains so the runoff from rain and snowmelt has a place to go.

Due to the borderline temperatures across the island, snowfall totals throughout Newfoundland will be highly dependent on elevation.

We’re likely going to see a large range in totals away from the water and across higher terrain, with up to 10-15 cm possible for higher portions of the eastern Avalon. Central Newfoundland could end up with 15-25 cm of wet snow into Tuesday.

Tuesday: Snow risk increases as storm stalls

Snow will continue in Newfoundland on Tuesday as the low-pressure system lingers over the region for another day. We’ll see better odds of mixed precipitation and wet snow creep into the Avalon as the atmosphere cools over the peninsula.

DON'T MISS: Everything you need to know for April's spectacular and rare solar eclipse

Farther south, though, we’ll have to watch the potential for wrap-around snow to blanket parts of the Maritimes. There’s still a bit of uncertainty regarding exact snowfall totals. As of now, though, it looks like the Maritimes could see a shovellable snow through Tuesday.

Folks in parts of southern New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and northern Nova Scotia may see double-digit snowfall totals. Be sure to check back frequently over the next day or so as forecasters nail down this sneaky snow potential.

Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on your forecast for Atlantic Canada.

WATCH: Tips to help your body adjust to the time change this weekend

Click here to view the video