Heavy snow, ice and rain make a mess of the weekend in parts of Atlantic Canada

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The official arrival of spring has felt like anything but across much of Eastern Canada this week, with rounds of wintry weather bringing strong winds and heavy snow.

The first full weekend of spring will feature much of the same, as 40+ cm of snow targets parts of New Brunswick, while soaking rains span Nova Scotia. There's also a widespread risk for freezing rain and ice accretion in some spots.

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Travel conditions will likely be jeopardized, so drivers are urged to plan ahead, and stay aware of your local road conditions before heading out.

Saturday into Sunday: Heavy snow and rain spread across the Maritimes

A low pressure system will strengthen as it heads towards the Bay of Fundy, scooping up subtropical moisture along the way.

The system begins with snowfall, spreading from west to east, across the Maritimes on Saturday.

For northern and central New Brunswick, the precipitation will remain as mostly heavy snow, with as much as 25-40+ cm possible in the hardest hit places, Fredericton included. The normal March snowfall amount for Fredericton is 49.4 cm, so the region could see nearly a month's worth of snow with this next snowstorm alone.

Widespread special weather statements are in effect for the province.

Through the overnight hours on Saturday, there is the chance for some mixing and ice accretion south of Fredericton and north of Saint John.

Exact totals for icing are uncertain at this time, as the track of the system could have an impact on precipitation types. The precipitation will change back to snow before gradually easing off through Sunday.

Drivers are being urged to plan ahead, and to adapt to the changing and rapidly deteriorating conditions. The heavy, wet snow and icy conditions could also heighten the risk for power outages.

Across Nova Scotia, the primary threat with this system will be heavy rain, with the risk for localized flooding in some of the heaviest hit areas. The rain will intensify through Sunday morning, with a brief period of mixed precipitation likely as the front slides out of the Maritimes.

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By Sunday evening, most of the moisture will be confined to the southern coast of Nova Scotia, with between 30-50 mm of rain forecast through the weekend.

A couple more systems will bring unsettled weather for the second half of next week and into the weekend, with primarily rain and above seasonal temperatures forecast across the region.

Stay tuned to The Weather Network for the latest forecast updates for Eastern Canada.