Environment Canada is warning a significant amount of snow is set to fall on the Coquithalla Highway starting Wednesday night.
The organization says that between 40 and 60 centimetres is expected to fall through Friday.
A frontal system is passing through the region, which will bring strong southwesterly winds and instability, Environment Canada says.
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This system will result in a long-duration snowfall and travel will likely be challenging.
Drivers are being urged to check DriveBC before heading out and to make sure they have winter tires and supplies in their vehicle in case they get delayed.
A Calgary family who have been living in their car for months are shedding a light on the experience of being unhoused.
The Dawes, a family of six, have been living in their vehicle for six months.
“That’s all we’ve got left, that’s our home, that’s what we call home right now,” said Krista Dawe, the mother of the family.
The family’s mother, Krista Dawe, say they want to stay together as a family, but so far all the shelters that have offered help, want to split them up.
Global News
However, two nights ago, the battery died, leaving the family to sleep in the cold on a night when the temperature dipped to -21 C in Calgary.
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Local advocates who have been helping provide the Dawe family with clothing and food say more resources are needed for unhoused families.
Calgary Close-up: New research provides insight on stopping homelessness before it happens
The family has tried to find room in a shelter but have been told that because their eldest child is 18 years old — technically an adult — the family would need to be split up.
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The Dawes say this isn’t something they are prepared to do and want to stay together as a family.
The family has been sleeping together in their car for months, but two nights ago, the engine died and the temperature dipped to about -21 C.
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While Global News was speaking with the family, a local shelter called to offer help, but again they would have to split up.
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“I’m frustrated. Just because a child turns 18, it doesn’t mean they’re no longer part of the family unit,” said Mona, who has been trying to help the family find shelter.
Thanks to some help from some Good Samaritans, the Dawes managed to get their car started again Tuesday afternoon.
Late Tuesday, the family was also offered shelter for the night with the possibility they may be allowed to stay even longer.
Much of Atlantic Canada woke up to more snow and ice Tuesday as a powerful winter storm blew through the region overnight.
Meteorologist Chris Fogarty said on social media that 20 centimetres had fallen in Dartmouth, N.S., by about 11 p.m. Monday night.
Public schools in Nova Scotia, P.E.I. and Newfoundland and Labrador’s capital city were closed Tuesday as crews cleaned up the roads.
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Parts of eastern Newfoundland have been hammered by back-to-back storms in the past week, with Environment Canada data showing the St. John’s suburb of Paradise has seen more than 150 cm of snow.
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Much of Atlantic Canada has been under winter storm and snowfall warnings for the past few days, but the only advisories left by 10 a.m. Tuesday were in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Environment Canada warned of hazardous conditions persisting in southeastern Labrador where up to 25 cm of snow was expected by Monday night, while the eastern side of Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula braced for up to 20 cm of snow.
Commuters make their way past India Gate amid smoggy conditions in New Delhi, India, on October 29, 2025.
Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty Images
Countries across the globe are increasingly turning to a decades-old weather modification technique as part of a push to control when and where it rains.
Alongside the U.S. and China, which boasts the world’s largest weather modification program, France, Russia, India and Saudi Arabia are among a growing list of countries to have experimented with cloud seeding.
For many, the embrace of rain-making operations stems from the need to boost water supplies as global demand continues to rise amid the climate crisis.
Others have sought to use cloud seeding to disperse fog at airports, tackle air pollution, reduce hail damage or even to manipulate the weather for major events, such as the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
Cloud seeding aims to improve a cloud’s ability to produce rain or snow by introducing tiny particles, usually silver iodide. The process is limited both in area and duration and, over time, is estimated to increase local precipitation by 5% to 15%.
Augustus Doricko, CEO of Rainmaker, a California-based cloud seeding company, said there are two dynamics at play that seem to be rekindling people’s interest in the technology — both in the U.S. and across the world.
“One is truly just circumstance, a lot of these countries and regions are suffering from more volatility in climate and precipitation patterns and their water supply, and so it’s leading them through necessity to be more creative than they were in the past,” Doricko told CNBC by telephone.
“Two, and I think this is like the real meat and potatoes of why Rainmaker got started, it’s because in the last few years there have been some fundamental breakthroughs in how to do measurements and attribution of cloud seeding effects.”
Despite an 80-year legacy, Doricko said interest in cloud seeding “really fell off” in the 1970s and 1980s because it had been difficult to accurately measure how much precipitation derived from cloud seeding deployments.
Recent technological improvements now make it possible to verify the success of these deployments in real time, Doricko said.
The company, which says it intends to arrest the aridification of the American West, has grown rapidly in recent months, from just 19 employees at the beginning of 2025 to 120 today, a trend that appears to underscore the booming interest in cloud seeding.
Yet, despite its name, Doricko said the company’s cloud seeding projects are mostly designed to make it snow.
“I misnamed the company it turns out, and ‘Snowmaker’ probably would have been more apt. It doesn’t sound as good for what it’s worth,” Doricko said.
He added: “I think that the most important thing for Rainmaker to do this season is just to make unambiguous evidence of manmade snow — and do it so often that it is undeniably a viable and scalable technology.”
Other U.S.-based cloud seeding companies include Weather Modification Inc. in North Dakota and North American Weather Consultants in Utah, although some U.S. states, such as Florida and Tennessee, have banned weather modification activities.
‘A viable water source’
There are two key reasons for why more countries are embracing cloud seeding operations, according to Frank McDonough, a research scientist at the Nevada-based Desert Research Institute (DRI).
Firstly, the scientific research and validation efforts that have been conducted on cloud seeding projects around the world over the past several decades “have provided enough data and cost-benefit analysis for stakeholders to use this tool with confidence,” McDonough told CNBC by email.
“The other concept of why more countries may be embracing cloud seeding technologies is that it’s currently one of the only options to enhance increasingly stressed localized water resources or help mitigate regional air pollution by using Earth’s natural atmospheric systems as a viable water source,” McDonough said.
Most other technologies rely upon water resources that are directly pulled from a watershed’s surface of groundwater, McDonough said, citing ski resorts using stored water to operate their winter snow-making equipment as one example.
“Cloud seeding can actually add new water resources to the system. Having extra resources to put into the ‘watershed bank’ for following year’s snowmaking needs is why stakeholders continue to fund these projects,” he added.
In terms of state-level support, China has reportedly backed its weather modification program with $2 billion between 2014 and 2021, while Saudi Arabia spent $256 million in 2022 to support the first year of its regional cloud seeding program.
Mixed results
Authorities in Iran reportedly sprayed clouds with chemicals over the Urmia lake basin late last year, seeking to boost rainfall to combat the country’s worst drought in decades.
Such projects are not always successful, however. Together with the Delhi government, a team at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur recently reported mixed results following a cloud seeding trial to tackle air pollution in India’s capital city.
The IIT said in a statement at the time that its attempt was “not completely successful” due to a lack of moisture in the air, before adding that there had been a measurable reduction in particulate matter following the experiment.
People watch as an airplane flies during an operation of cloud seeding at Adi Soemarmo air force base in Boyolali, Central Java, Indonesia, Feb. 24, 2023.
Diana Francis, head of the Environmental and Geophysical Sciences lab at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, said cloud seeding can “modestly enhance” precipitation in the right conditions.
“But it is incremental, not transformative, and works best as part of a broader water and air-quality strategy,” Francis told CNBC by email.
Cloud seeding operations might typically cost between $1 to $10 per hectare-meter of additional water, Francis said, noting that while this remains highly variable, it works out to be much cheaper than desalination.
There are also other key caveats to consider, such as a strong dependence on cloud microphysics (given cloud seeding only works on existing clouds), problems with attribution and potential geopolitical and legal issues regarding downwind impacts, Francis said.
Studies have shown no significant impact on either human health or the environment from previous silver iodide cloud seeding projects, according to the World Meteorological Organization, while further investigation is needed to assess downwind effects.
The U.N. weather agency has also acknowledged that significant challenges in public, social and local acceptance of rain-making operations remain widely evident.
A powerful nor’easter is blowing through Nova Scotia, cancelling schools, causing travel disruptions and leaving power outages in its wake.
Between 30-50 cm are in the forecast for the southeast region of Nova Scotia by dawn on Tuesday.
Nova Scotia Power activated its Emergency Operations Centre at 8 a.m. Monday, saying crews were positioned across the province to respond to outages. The wind and snow can weigh down trees and pull branches onto power lines, the utility said.
Environment Canada has issued winter weather warnings for both Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, which carry on into Tuesday morning.
“The higher accumulations and the higher snowfall rates are going to be in the afternoon and evening hours,” said Bob Robichaud, warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada.
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Wind gusts could reach up to 80 km/h, reducing visibility in blowing snow.
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All arrivals and departures from Halifax Stanfield International Airport are cancelled for the remainder of Monday.
Many schools in the province were either closed Monday or had early dismissals.
Although the region is getting hit with more snow than last winter — already 50 cm more in Halifax compared to this time last year — meteorologists say it’s par for the course.
“It is a worse winter than we’ve seen recently but actually pretty close to average compared to snow totals and there’s still quite a bit of winter to go,” said Anthony Farnell, Global News’ chief meteorologist.
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The system is hitting the rest of winter-weary Atlantic Canada with snow and strong winds.
Most of the Maritimes are under winter storm and snowfall warnings, with Environment Canada calling for totals of between 15-25 cm across much of P.E.I., Nova Scotia and southern and eastern New Brunswick.
Atlantic Canada’s utilities and municipalities are bracing for another day of snow and strong winds, while weary residents get set for more shovelling.
Environment Canada has issued blowing snow and winter storm warnings for much of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and eastern New Brunswick, while gusts are predicted to reach up to 100 kilometres per hour in the Wreckhouse area of southwestern Newfoundland.
Nova Scotia Power says it will activate its Emergency Operations Centre at 8 a.m. today, and that it has crews positioned across the province to respond to any outages.
Some residents of Newfoundland’s capital were posting to social media on the weekend, looking for help getting out of their homes as massive drifts covered doors to homes and basement apartments.
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The City of St. John’s says in a statement that all municipal facilities, including City Hall, will be closed Monday in order to give city crews the time and space they need to clear a deluge of snow that’s fallen in the past week.
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Some parts of St. John’s were buried under 56 centimetres of snow, while the nearby communities of Mount Pearl and Paradise saw 65 cm and 74 cm, respectively.
“We will continue to monitor conditions closely and will take additional measures if necessary,” the city’s statement said.
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Environment Canada said nearly 330 cm of snow has fallen in St. John’s since Nov. 1, while totals in Gander, in central Newfoundland, have hit 434 cm.
The weather office says northwestern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island can expect to see as much as 25 centimetres of snow by Tuesday, while Bridgetown and Yarmouth in the province’s south can expect the same amount.
Nova Scotia Power said heavy snow and high winds are expected to impact the province throughout the day.
The utility said the mix of weather can weigh down trees and branches onto power lines. It also said high winds can affect safety for power line technicians, slowing restoration efforts when winds reach 80 km an hour.
Atlantic Canada is bracing for a wintry blast with many areas under winter storm watches and special weather statements.
According to Environment Canada, residents of Nova Scotia could see 15 to 25 centimetres of snow by Tuesday morning as an intense low pressure system passes south of the province’s southwestern region on Monday night. The system will move on to the eastern coast Tuesday morning.
The system is expected to bring heavy snow and strong winds to eastern Nova Scotia, before it changes to rain late Monday or early Tuesday. Yellow winter storm watches are in place for the province’s southern region and special weather statements have been issued for Halifax to Cape Breton.
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Environment Canada also warns that blowing snow is possible on Monday night in parts inland.
Special weather alerts are also in place for most of New Brunswick, with heavy snow of 15 cm to 25 cm expected between Monday afternoon through Tuesday morning.
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Southern and eastern New Brunswick will also see northeasterly wind gusts of 60 to 80 km/h, with winds on the Fundy coast possibly exceeding 90 km/h.
Environment Canada says snowfall warnings may be required for multiple regions of the province, but adds the worst conditions are expected in southeastern New Brunswick and along the Fundy coast.
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Prince Edward Island is also forecast to see between 15 and 25 cm of snow between Monday evening and noon on Tuesday. Special weather statements are in effect.
Meanwhile, northeastern Newfoundland is already seeing heavy snow. The region is expected to receive between five and 15 cm into Sunday evening, with the St. John’s area expected to see accumulations of two to four centimetres per hour.
Environment Canada says the snow should taper to scattered flurries later on Sunday. Temperatures are also set to rise just above zero degrees, with snow either mixing with or changing to rain along parts of the coast.
Travelers look at a flight status board as flights are delayed and cancelled following a significant winter storm at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, January 26, 2026.
Saul Loeb | Afp | Getty Images
U.S. airlines began canceling Sunday flights and waiving cancellation and change fees for airports from Virginia to Maine ahead of another massive winter storm on the East Coast, set to once again put carriers to the test at the tail-end of winter break.
Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, JetBlue Airways, United Airlines and Spirit Airlines waived fees and fare differences for passengers if they can travel as late as Feb. 26. Southwest Airlines said customers are eligible for a change without paying a difference in fare if they can rebook to fly or fly standby within two weeks.
The storm could bring between 13 and 18 inches of snow to parts of southern Connecticut and southeast New York, as well as winds of up to 55 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service. The blizzard warning is set to begin at 6 a.m. ET Sunday.
As of 4:30 pm ET Saturday, close to 400 U.S. flights were canceled, according to FlightAware. Delta had the most, with 174 cancellations or 5% of its mainline schedule. New York airports, which make up a major Delta hub, were the most affected by Sunday’s disruptions.
The National Weather Service raised its initial assessment of the potential severity of a storm. The weather service now says 1 to 2 feet (about 30 to 61 centimeters) of snow is possible in many areas. Blizzard warnings were also issued for New York City, Long Island, southern Connecticut and coastal communities in New Jersey, Delaware, Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
The weather service warned that the storm’s steady winds of 25 to 35 mph (40 to 56 kph) would “make travel dangerous, if not impossible.”
Winter Storm Fern in January, followed by bitter cold, caused mass travel disruptions across a large swath of the U.S.
Read more CNBC airline news
American Airlines had struggled to recover, drawing harsh criticism from flight crews, some of whom were stranded and had to sleep at airports, heightening tension between frontline employees and the company’s CEO, Robert Isom.
The storm cost American between $150 million and $200 million in revenue, the carrier said last month on an earnings call.
— The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A rain-to-snow transition is sweeping across Ontario once again, with eastern and central parts of the province forecast to receive up to 20 centimetres of snow through Saturday.
According to weather forecasters, a storm similar to Wednesday’s system will move across southern and eastern Ontario on Friday, bringing another round of mixed and shifting precipitation.
The showers started Friday morning and will move east throughout the day.
Many regions are expected to see rain transition to freezing rain before changing over to snow, though not all areas will experience every phase.
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The precipitation near the Greater Toronto Area will create cloudy and wet conditions throughout the day, before the rain is expected to stop in the evening.
Compared with Wednesday’s storm, the approaching system is expected to deliver more consistent snowfall to eastern Ontario, including Ottawa, where accumulation totals could climb significantly.
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According to Environment Canada, the heaviest snowfall, between 15 and 20 centimetres, is forecasted for parts of eastern and central Ontario, where colder air is expected to remain firmly in place.
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Toronto, however, is expected to stay warm enough to predominantly see rain for much of the event, with a gradual shift to snow possible later.
Environment Canada has also issued yellow freezing rain warnings for some areas north and east of Ottawa, as well as regions farther north, including areas near Barrie.
Environment Canada urges the public to check driving conditions before getting behind the wheel.
Toronto police are renewing warnings about dangerous ice conditions along the city’s waterfront after a man fell into the icy waters of Lake Ontario.
A video circulating on social media shows the individual walking on harbour ice before suddenly breaking through and falling into the freezing water, struggling to get out.
The individual finally self-rescued. Police confirm he was not injured and was “very lucky.”
However, police say this is just one of many “dangerous incidents” that have occurred in recent weeks.
Authorities say the video is part of a growing number of calls involving people venturing onto unstable ice despite repeated public safety warnings.
“No ice is safe ice,” the Toronto Police Service Marine Unit cautioned in a statement.
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Despite the pleas, many people have continued to tread on thin ice.
Another image shared by TPS showed a child unsupervised walking toward the edge of ice, next to an open body of water, while they took photos several feet away.
An image shared by Toronto Police show a child unsupervised close to the edge of the ice as their parents take photos several ft away.
Toronto Police Marine Unit
Police say officers have been responding regularly to incidents involving individuals, families and large groups walking on Toronto Harbour ice, often untrained, without safety equipment or lifejackets.
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TPS shared the video along with other images this week to underscore the risks posed by unpredictable winter conditions.
The Marine Unit of Toronto also stressed that ice inside Toronto Harbour is especially hazardous due to constant marine traffic and active ice-breaking operations.
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The service noted that ferry routes to and from the Toronto Islands operate year-round, requiring ice to be regularly broken, while police and partner agencies also conduct training exercises that intentionally disrupt ice surfaces.
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Recent fluctuating temperatures below and above freezing have also made ice thickness and conditions unpredictable.
Officials warn that what appears frozen from shore may conceal thin ice or open water nearby.
Toronto police say Marine Unit patrols and public education have also ramped up their supervision near bodies of water, to ensure the public remains safe and warn people of the dangers of stepping on ice.
Police also reminded residents that Lake Ontario and Toronto Harbour are part of a federal port where specific regulations apply, including restrictions on swimming outside designated areas.
If someone falls through the ice, the Marine Unit advises bystanders to avoid stepping onto the ice and instead attempt to assist from shore, using nearby objects such as branches, ring buoys or rescue equipment.
Residents are urged to keep a safe distance from the water’s edge and remain mindful of rapidly changing winter conditions.
