Clipper storm bringing heavy snow to Ottawa, Montreal and grazing US northern tier
Another major snowstorm is blanketing some of the major cities in southeastern Canada and dumping moderate to heavy snow along the northern tier of the Northeast on Saturday.
Back-to-back storms to cause significant snowfall over the weekend.
A storm that dove across the Great Lakes Friday night will swing across the St. Lawrence Valley on Saturday and Saturday night, producing a swath of heavy snow in an area that has been hit with major snowfalls in the past month, AccuWeather meteorologists warn.
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 Friday, Feb. 28, 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, picked up 25 inches of snow as of Feb. 28, compared to a normal monthly historical average of 13 inches. Meanwhile, Toronto measured 30 inches (76 centimeters) of snow during the same period compared to a month-long February average of 15 inches (38 centimeters). Montreal and Ottawa both picked up just over 40 inches (more than 100 centimeters) of snow this past month.
The storm can continue to trigger airline delays and flight cancellations at the major hubs in southeastern Canada.
The storm on Saturday is following similar but somewhat milder clipper storms during the early and middle parts of this week, which deposited up to a few inches (several centimeters) of snow.
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 are all in the heavy snow zone from the storm. A moderate to heavy amount of snow will fall on the northern parts of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
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 is falling on the colder side and is taking the form of snow due to a lack of Gulf and Atlantic moisture available to the storm.
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 10-20 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.
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