(Halifax) The Maritime provinces will also be affected in turn by a mixture of heavy rain and powerful gusts starting Friday and continuing into the night.
Environment Canada meteorologist Ian Hubbard said the storm will intensify in western Nova Scotia and New Brunswick around noon and is expected to move through the region during the afternoon and overnight, before dissipating on Christmas Eve.
Bad weather will last longer in Newfoundland, where residents can expect slush and powerful gusts from Saturday into the night, he said.
Mr. Hubbard adds that the gusts will be remarkable, with forecasts pointing to speeds of 90 km/h in parts of Atlantic Canada, including up to 100 km/h in coastal areas.
Electric utilities are warning residents to prepare for potential power outages.
Airline departure boards at Halifax airport showed some flight delays and cancellations at 10:30 a.m.
Precipitation and snowfall levels vary across the Atlantic provinces, with 25 to 40 millimeters of rain expected in southern New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. About 20 millimeters will fall over Prince Edward Island, while in northern New Brunswick precipitation will begin as snow.