Winter storm set to hit Ottawa this weekend

A winter storm set to bring up to 15 centimetres of snow to Ottawa will disrupt travel plans this weekend.

Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning for Ottawa and eastern Ontario, calling for a "significant snowfall" beginning late Friday night. Ottawa could see up to 15 cm of snow, while the Kingston area could see up to 30 cm of snow by Saturday afternoon.

"A Texas low is expected to bring heavy snow to a large swath of southern Ontario," Environment Canada said in a statement.

"Snow will begin towards midnight and quickly become heavy at times. Snow will last through Saturday morning before tapering to light flurries Saturday afternoon."

WestJet has cancelled all flights in and out of Toronto's Pearson Airport as of 8 p.m. Friday evening until Saturday morning. WestJet and Air Canada have cancelled several flights out of Ottawa.

Environment Canada senior climatologist David Phillips told CTV Morning Live the storm is "moving a little slower than we thought", and will hit Kingston at approximately 10 p.m. and Ottawa after 12 a.m. Saturday.

"It's going to be a Saturday event. You're not going to be bothered by it on Friday, but certainly overnight and then heavy amounts and low visibility," Phillips said, adding the snow will end Saturday afternoon.

Phillips says Ottawa will see a month's worth of snow over 10 days.

"We'll have now three storms in 10 days, all California cousins – they started in the same area, they've gone across the United States and they've come into Ontario," Phillips said. "It's just one after another, they're clearly of the same family."

The snowfall warning covers Brockville, Prescott, Gananoque, Mallorytown, Westport, Merrickville-Wolford, Kemptville, Cornwall, Renfrew and Pembroke, calling for up to 15 centimetres of snow.

A winter storm warning is in effect for an area stretching from London and Kitchener-Waterloo to Toronto, Belleville and Kingston.

Environment Canada says the Kingston, Napanee and Picton areas could see up to 30 cm of snow.

Travellers are being reminded to check their flight status before heading to the airport Friday night and Saturday morning.

The Ottawa International Airport's departure board shows a dozen departure cancellations Friday night and Saturday.

Saturday night parking ban

The city of Ottawa has issued an overnight winter weather parking ban for Saturday night.

On-street parking will be prohibited from 7 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. on Sunday.

Only vehicles with on-street parking permits are allowed to park on city streets during the winter weather parking ban.

Snowy winter in Ottawa

This weekend's snowfall could push Ottawa over 300 centimetres of snow so far this winter.

Ottawa has already received 280.7 centimetres of snow this winter, including 96 centimetres in December and 96.5 centimetres in January.

Ottawa normally receives approximately 220 centimetres of snow in a winter.

The record snowfall for Ottawa is the winter of 1886-87, with 453.8 centimetres. A total of 432 centimetres of snow fell during the winter of 2007-2008, and 444.6 centimetres of snow fell during the  1970-71 winter season. 

This will be Ottawa’s second snow storm of the week after 15 centimetres of snow fell in the city on Tuesday.

Ottawa forecast

Snow at times heavy beginning late Friday night. Low -5 C.

The snow will last through Saturday morning before tapering to light flurries late in the afternoon. Saturday’s forecast high is 0 C.  

There will be a 60 per cent chance of flurries Saturday evening and the overnight low will be -7 C.   

On Sunday – cloudy with a 30 per cent chance of flurries and a high of 3 C.

@ctvnewsottawa A #snowstorm in Ottawa is expected to start overnight Friday into Saturday and could bring 20 to 25 cm of snow. @Matt Skube has the details. #snow #winter #ottawa #weather #ontario #canada #fyp ♬ original sound - ctvnewsottawa