Environment Canada releases summary pertaining to latest storm

Environment and Climate Change Canada has released a weather summary pertaining to the latest storm that impacted the Island portion of the province.

A low pressure system developed south of Long Island on Sunday and tracked northeastward, crossing eastern Newfoundland late Monday while undergoing explosive intensification. The storm produced significant snowfall over areas west of its track. Near and east of the track, precipitation transitioned from snow through ice pellets and freezing rain to rain, before changing back to snow. Across southeasternmost areas, precipitation fell almost entirely as rain. Very strong winds developed in the wake of the low, resulting in a period of blizzard-like conditions where those winds coincided with fresh snowfall.

Storm impacts included numerous power outages; toppling of trees in some areas; delays and suspensions to ferry, airline, and transit services; closures of schools and offices; and cancellations of numerous events.

The storm also set new records for the lowest barometric pressure observed during the month of December in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Lowest values measured at official stations Monday evening included:

• 948.1 mb at Pool's Island

• 948.7 mb at Twillingate

• 949.5 mb at Bonavista

• 949.7 mb at Gander International Airport

• 950.3 mb at Terra Nova National Park

All of these values fell below the previous record of 950.7 mb for lowest pressure recorded in Newfoundland and Labrador during December, set at Cartwright on December 2, 1972.

The following is a summary of weather event information received by Environment and Climate Change Canada as of 11:30 A.M. NST.

Total snowfall in centimetres (Sunday night to Tuesday morning):

• Springdale: 53 *

• La Scie (auto): 49

• Kippens: 39 *

• Millertown (auto): 39

• Gander West: 35 *

• Grand Falls-Windsor: 25 *

• Deer Lake Airport: 24

• Terra Nova National Park (auto): 22 *

• Lethbridge: 17

• St. John's International Airport: 12

Snowfall values from automated stations (auto) are derived from a combination of snow-depth sensor data and weighing gauge measurements.

Total rainfall in millimetres (Sunday night to Monday night):

• St. Joseph's: 36 *

• St. Mary's: 32 *

• Cape Pine: 30 *

• Witless Bay: 30 *

• Argentia: 26

• Trepassey: 26 *

• St. Lawrence: 24 *

• Cape Race: 21

• St. John's West: 21

• St. John's International Airport: 18

Maximum wind gusts in kilometres per hour (Monday night):

• Cape Race: 164 (see notes)

• Fogo Island: 151 *

• Old Perlican: 142 *

• Sagona Island: 140

• Cape Pine: 140 *

• Bonavista: 139

• Cape St. Mary's: 139 *

• St. John's International Airport: 137

• Twillingate: 133 (see notes)

• Calvert: 132 *

• Trinity (Fort Point): 130 *

• Grates Cove: 129

• Caplin Cove: 125 *

• Allan's Island: 123 *

• Pool's Island: 122

• St. John's (East White Hills): 122 *

• St. John's (Robin Hood Bay): 121 *

• Pass Island: 120 *

• Lord's Cove: 119 *

• Bauline: 116 *

• Saint-Pierre Airport: 115

• St. Anthony Airport: 113

• Argentia: 108

• Gander International Airport: 107 (see notes)

• Winterland: 107

• St. Lawrence: 106

• Port aux Basques: 103

• Ferolle Point: 101

Note: Data from Cape Race subject to review due to intermittent irregularities.

Data incomplete from Twillingate and Gander International Airport due to sensor outages during peak winds. There is a high probability that the absolute maximum gusts were stronger.

* denotes data from unofficial observation locations

Data Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada