Don't blame the weatherman: Wet snow tough to predict

If you woke up this morning expecting 10 centimetres of snow but are staring down at 25, don't blame the weatherman.

Maritime forecasts can be tricky to predict, says CBC meteorologist Kalin Mitchell. And the marine environment makes wet snowfalls particularly difficult to call.

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"If the warm air expected to push in with a particular weather system due to the winds coming in off the warmer ocean environment is overestimated and the snow isn't as mixed with rain or ice pellets as expected, it can lead to higher accumulations," Mitchell said.

"This was the case with the current snowfall along with the movement of the system slightly further north than was anticipated on Tuesday, pushing some of the heavier bands of snow over the Northumberland Strait."

Forecast changed

The forecast was changed at about 8 a.m. Wednesday to reflect the higher snowfall amounts.

The snowfall ended around noon on Wednesday, but more wet snow is forecast for Thursday.

Mitchell says P.E.I. could get between two and 10 cms of snow before it turns to rain. Rainfall amounts could reach 30 millimetres.

Risk of flooding on Thursday

Combined withthe snowfall Wednesday, the additional rain could bring a risk of flooding, Mitchell said.

Winds are also expected to pick up on Thursday, with gusts reaching up to 80 km/h.

But as Islanders found out Wednesday, the forecast can change quickly.

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