Environment Canada has issued a snow squall warning for most of the northern Kawarthas region and a winter weather travel advisory for most of the southern region starting Friday evening (November 29) into the weekend.
The snow squall warning is in effect for northern Peterborough County, northern Kawartha Lakes, and Haliburton County, and the winter weather travel advisory is in effect for southern Peterborough County, southern Kawartha Lakes, and Hastings Highlands.
Lake effect snow off of Georgian Bay and Lake Huron will move into the Kawarthas region Friday evening, resulting in intense snow squalls in the north until Sunday afternoon with locally heavy snow in the south until Saturday morning.
While all areas in the region will see peak snowfall rates of 5 to 10 cm per hour, the heaviest snow will be in the most northern region of the Kawarthas.
The snow squalls in the north will shift from time to time over the course of the weekend, but will be capable of intense snowfall rates.
Local accumulations in Haliburton County will be near 100 cm by Sunday afternoon, with possibly more than 50 cm in northern Kawartha Lakes and more than 30 cm in northern Peterborough County. As is common with snow squalls, snowfall amounts will be highly variable.
Southern Peterborough County and southern Kawartha Lakes will see locally heavy snowfall begin overnight Friday with accumulations of 5 to 10 cm before the snow ends Saturday morning and moves back north. Hastings Highlands will see local snowfall accumulations up to 10 cm ending Friday evening.
In the most northern areas of the region, power outages are also possible due to the heavy wet nature of the snow. There will be very poor to zero visibility at times in heavy snow and local blowing snow.
Travel is expected to be difficult to nearly impossible at times under these snow squalls, and road closures are possible. If you must travel, keep others informed of your schedule and destination and carry an emergency kit and mobile phone.
