Clipper storm to bring heavy snow to Ottawa, Montreal and graze US northern tier
The zone from central and southeastern Ontario to southern Quebec, as well as the northern tier of New England and northern New York, have been hammered by relentless storms with heavy snow, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Tom Kines said.
This map depicts the depth of snow on the ground (inches) based on satellite data as of Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Remote Sensing Center)
The storms have blessed the ski slopes with deep natural snow, but they have also caused major travel disruptions.
"In some cases, snow from the storms during February delivered two times the average snow for the month and has made up deficits from a lack of snow earlier in the winter," Kines explained.
Plattsburgh, New York, has picked up nearly 25 inches of snow as of Feb. 25, compared to a normal monthly historical average of 13 inches. Meanwhile, Toronto measured 28 inches (71 centimeters) of snow during the same period compared to a month-long February average of 15 inches (38 centimeters). Montreal and Ottawa have both picked up close to 40 inches (more than 100 centimeters) of snow this month.
The impending storm will trigger airline delays and flight cancellations at the major hubs in southeastern Canada.
The storm from Friday to Saturday will follow similar but somewhat milder clipper storms during the early and middle parts of this week, which have deposited up to a few inches (several centimeters) of snow.Have the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+
The end-of-the-week storm will bring a strip of 6-10 inches (15-25 centimeters) of snow from part of the shoreline of Lake Superior and central Ontario to much of the Ottawa and St. Lawrence valleys.
Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City, as well as Caribou, Maine, are all in the heavy snow zone from the storm. A moderate to heavy amount of snow will fall on northern Michigan and the northern parts of New York, Vermont and New Hampshire.
Just south of the heavy snow area, there will be a narrow zone where a wintry mix and rain showers can occur. However, most of this storm's precipitation will fall on the colder side and take the form of snow due to a lack of Gulf and Atlantic moisture available to the storm.
What will likely be a bigger factor in the storm's warmer zone will be gusty winds.
"The strongest winds from the storm are likely to be over portions of the northern Plains and the Upper Midwest from Friday to Friday night," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said, "The storm may lose some intensity as it pivots into the Northeast on Saturday, but it will still be a blustery day south of the snow area."
A large swath with winds of 30-40 mph gusts will extend across much of the North Central states with a pocket of 40- to 50-mph gusts and an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 60 mph from the eastern part of the Dakotas to southwestern Michigan.
A larger pool of chilly air will sag southward in the wake of the late-week clipper storm. High temperatures in the wake of the storm will be slashed by about 20 degrees in cities such as Chicago from Friday to Saturday and in New York City from Saturday to Sunday. Highs in the 50s in both cities will be swapped with highs in the 30s. AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will be some 10-25 degrees lower than the actual temperature, especially in the shade.
Unlike the persistent cold from much of February, this chilly shot should not last more than a day or two for most of the Midwest and Northeast.
Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
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