Back-to-back systems to make for messy mix of rain and snow this week

A pair of winter storms is expected to bringa messy mix of rain, wind and snow to Nova Scotia that will last into the weekend.

A nor'easterwill just miss the provinceon Thursday, but snow will startto fall tonight in the southwest and is expected to quickly tracknorth to Cape Breton by tomorrow afternoon.

The first storm won't actually pass over the Maritimes instead moving up the coast of Maine to the St. Lawrence River valley but that doesn't mean Nova Scotia will bespared.

Much of Nova Scotia can expect fiveto 15 centimetres, with the most snow falling in Cape Breton and along the Atlantic coastline to Liverpool, according toCBCmeteorologistKalin Mitchell.

"Give yourself time and space on the roads for theThursdaymorning commute, as for much of the westof Nova Scotia, they will be snowy and slippery," said Mitchell.

Winds will increase to between 30 and50 km/h,with gusts up to 90 km/h on Thursday before diminishing into the evening.

There are wind warnings in place for Queens County and Shelburne County, withgusts up to 90 km/h overnight Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

There's aLesSueteswind warning in place forInverness County, withgustsup to 100 km/h forecast to develop Thursday evening and then diminish early Friday morning.

In western and central Nova Scotia, the snow with change over to rain Thursday, but will persist into the eveningin the eastern parts of the province.

New Brunswick will get the brunt of the storm with 15-25 centimetresexpected in much of the province,and up to 15 centimetresexpected in P.E.I.

2nd storm starts Friday

The second storm of the week will develop off the Atlantic coast on Friday morning. As it moves back over land, it will bring with it the possibility of significant snowfall.

But it'sstill too early to say how much snow will fall or where, said Mitchell.

"Currently the area that looks under the biggest risk to see significant accumulations of 15-pluscentimetresfrom this second weather system is Cape Breton and eastern areas of the mainland," said Mitchell.

Depending how far the storm moves into the Maritimes, it's possible other areas of Nova Scotia could also see accumulating snow on Friday night andSaturday.