Brief: Active weather pattern impacting both coasts

Friday, February 5, 2016, 7:45 AM - An intense Pacific storm is bringing heavy rain, snow and damaging winds to western Canada, while another powerful weekend system prompted widespread school closures across Atlantic Canada. Here's your Friday weather brief.

WINTER UPDATE: Will winter attempt to make for lost time during the final month, or will mild weather return for the second half of February. Read our release for the remainder of winter.

Atlantic Canada

• Maritimes: A major winter storm is ramping up in Atlantic Canada as heavy rain, freezing rain and significant snow threatens the region. Up to 40 cm of snow could wallop the hardest hit places. That combined with gusty winds will result in dangerous driving conditions through Saturday. Details on this powerful weekend storm here.
• Newfoundland: Precipitation moves into Newfoundland Friday morning as well starting as rain for eastern Newfoundland, a mix through central areas and snow for the west. A flip/flop between rain and snow will continue as the system pulls north Friday overnight into Saturday. 

Ontario and Quebec

• Ontario: Aside from some light flurries through the day, much of Ontario remains calm to kick off the weekend. "More light flurries will fall in parts of central Ontario Saturday as a clipper system pushes in," says Weather Network meteorologist Nadine Hinds-Powell. Heavier snowfall amounts are possible for parts of northwestern Ontario Sunday as another clipper system from the Prairies dumps 10-15 cm in the hardest hit places. 
• Quebec:  Sun, cloud and seasonal temperatures are on tap for the start of the weekend Friday. 

Western Canada

• Prairies: Freezing rain and wind warnings were issued for parts of Alberta early Friday with extreme cold warnings for northern Manitoba. "A few flurries are forecast across the Prairies through Saturday with less than 5 cm likely," says Hinds-Powell. "As another clipper slides down on Sunday, heavier snowfall amounts are expected, especially in southern Manitoba.
• British Columbia: Winds gusts over 100 km/h have been reported off the west coast of Vancouver Island. Gusty winds will likely continue through the day with up to 80 mm of rain possible through Saturday as well. "Around 40 mm of rain is forecast for the Vancouver area," says Hinds-Powell. Meanwhile, heavy snow for the north coast and interior sections of the province prompted snowfall warnings Thursday afternoon. Up to 20 cm of snow is forecast.