Sault Ste. Marie Braces for Historic Winter Storm

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A powerful winter storm system is forecast to bring historic snowfall totals and hurricane-force winds to the Sault Ste. Marie region this weekend, potentially paralyzing local infrastructure and making travel impossible by Sunday night.

Why it matters

This storm has the potential to be one of the most severe winter weather events in recent memory for the Sault Ste. Marie area, with the possibility of widespread power outages, road closures, and disruptions to essential services. Residents are being urged to prepare for the possibility of being homebound for an extended period.

The details

The storm will arrive in two waves, with an Alberta Clipper system bringing 8-12cm of snow on Friday, accompanied by gusty east-southeast winds up to 60km/h. This will be followed by the main event on Sunday, with current models indicating 40-50cm of additional snowfall is possible by Monday afternoon. The sheer strength of this system is also expected to drag a massive plume of Arctic air into the region, leading to a shift to below-normal temperatures that could persist through the end of March.

• The Alberta Clipper system will arrive on Friday, with snowfall intensifying around sunrise.
• Saturday will be the "calm before the storm" with mostly sunny skies and a high of -2°C.
• The main winter storm system is expected to arrive on Sunday, with the heaviest snowfall and strongest winds occurring on Sunday afternoon and continuing through Monday.

What’s next

Residents are being urged to prepare for the possibility of being homebound for an extended period by stocking up on essential supplies and ensuring they have a plan in place to clear snow and deal with potential power outages.