Winter storm expected to bring wild temperature swing

Prince Edward Islanders can expect snow, freezing rain, rain, bitter cold and above freezing temperatures over the next couple of days.

Monday started out relatively mild as a few centimetres of snow fell overnight and the temperature reached -1 C.

But that temperature had already begun to fall by dawn. It will hit -10 C by early afternoon and -19 C overnight. The high temperature Tuesday is forecast to be just -15 C.

Storm coming Tuesday night

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement regarding a storm expected overnight Tuesday.

CBC meteorologist Brennan Allen expects 10 to 15 centimetres of snow with the storm. That will change to freezing rain, he said, as temperatures rise well above freezing.

"You'll get a crust of some ice on top of that later on Wednesday afternoon once that freezes over, so the drive Wednesday does not look good," said Allen.

The above freezing temperatures will only last about six hours before they start to fall again, he said.

Allen recommended getting to the shovelling early, because it will become much more difficult as a crust forms when the temperature drops below freezing again.

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