Winter storm bringing up to 40 cm of snow should hit hardest tomorrow

The highlights:

• Winter storm warnings for Ottawa, most of the region: 20-40 cm of snow.
• 35 to 45 cm of snow possible north and westof Gatineau.
• Kingston area under freezing rain warning.
• Worst of storm expected this afternoon into tomorrow morning.

A serious winter storm stretching over two days is approaching, bringing either more snow than we sometimes see in a month or a thick coat of freezing rain.

Most of the region is under a winter storm warning fora snowstorm that starts this afternoon and could lastabout 24 hours.

Environment Canada's best guess about when the snow could start picking upis about 2 p.m.

Belleville shouldn't get heavy snow until around midnight, but that's after several hours of flip-flopping between snow and freezing rain.

It could leave behind 20 to 40 centimetres of snow in most of the region and 35 to 45 centimetres north and west of Gatineau.

Ottawa hasn't hit 40 centimetres of snow in a single storm since more than 51 centimetres fell Feb. 16, 2016.

It's only topped 25 centimetres once in the last year.

What did 51 cm of snow look like?

Kingston, Prince Edward Countyand Brockvilleare under a freezing rain warning, with snow at times heavy in the day turning into a mix of snow,freezing rain and rain around sundown, then back to snow early Thursday morning.

Cornwall and North Grenville arekind of caught in between these two alerts, witha snowfall warning calling for 15 to 25 centimetres of snow and a chance of freezing rain this evening.

Winds could factor in as well, with gusts up to 50 km/h in Ottawa and Maniwaki tomorrowand 60 km/h around Kingston.

Environment Canada says drivers should consider postponing non-essential travel until the storm passes.

OPP are asking drivers to slow down, be prepared to stop and clear snow from their vehicles and have a full tank of gas and emergency kit.

• 2, maybe 3 commutes will be seriously slowed by storm

Temperatures will stay around zero during the storm before dropping tomorrow afternoon as it leaves.

The forecast calms down after that and through the weekend.