A powerful storm will roll ashore in part of Atlantic Canada and produce blizzard conditions in much of New Brunswick and eastern Quebec and may seem like a hurricane in Nova Scotia.

The storm hit the southeastern coast of the United States with heavy snow and ice and brought blizzard conditions to parts of the northeastern U.S. on Thursday. An eye has developed in the storm.

Only the fast-moving nature of the storm will limit the worst direct effects to less than 24 hours in most locations. However, the magnitude of the wind may have some communities buried in snow with people in the dark and the cold for days in the wake of the storm.

"Rain and snow at the beginning of the storm will transition to all rain as winds increase from the Atlantic Ocean in much of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and southeastern New Brunswick," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson.

Windswept heavy rain may lead to flooding on the storm's warm, eastern side.

"A formidable blizzard is in store for central and northwestern New Brunswick and some of the Eastern Townships of Quebec," Anderson said.

The storm will bring near-zero visibility and rapidly accumulating snow.

Major cities likely to be hit hard by the blizzard include Rimouski and Murdochville, Quebec, and Fredericton and Edmundston, New Brunswick.

Seas will be too dangerous for small craft to be on open water. Waves will build and crash ashore along unprotected areas of the coastline.

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Overwash and storm surge flooding are likely in low-lying coastal areas that face the east and southeast as the storm approaches.

"The combination of high winds, coastal flooding and erosion may lead to property damage in Nova Scotia," Anderson said.

Peak gusts on Prince Edward Island and some coastal areas of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and eastern Quebec will range between 80 and 130 km/h. Gusts between 55 and 110 km/h will be common throughout the region.

Where 30 to 60 cm of snow falls, high winds will cause mountainous drifts. Sporadic to regional power outages are likely. The depth of the snow may prevent crews from reaching all without power in a timely manner after the storm.

Rain may change back to snow before ending in southeastern areas. The snow will end from south to north during Friday.

Brutal cold in the wake of the storm may be dangerous for those without power or a means to heat their homes. Temperatures are forecast to plunge between minus 30 and minus 10 C (22 below zero and 14 above zero F).

Gusty west to northwest winds in the wake of the storm will cause AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures to be 5-10 degrees Celsius (10-20 degrees Fahrenheit) lower than actual temperatures at times.

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