A major winter storm will affect Quebec and Ontario in the coming hours, with some areas receiving up to 40 cm of snow.

Road conditions will be dangerous in several locations, as the Canadian Ministry of the Environment warns that strong winds and storms may cause road closures.

For areas in the far west of Quebec, the snowstorm accompanied by strong winds will begin overnight, while snowfall will start on Saturday during the day in the far eastern regions.

Also, according to the Canadian Ministry of the Environment, the areas that received the most snow earlier this week will continue to receive the largest amounts of precipitation.

Rainfall is expected to reach 25 to 40 cm in a wide corridor north of the Saint Lawrence, from Quebec to Sept-Îles, passing through areas south of Saguenay.

"There is a special alert for areas near Quebec that will face particularly strong winds and particularly heavy snow for a good part of the day on Saturday," meteorologist Jean-Philippe Bégin warned during a press conference Friday afternoon.

The Montreal area and regions south of the river will see less precipitation, from 15 to 20 cm in some places, according to forecasts by the Canadian Environmental Agency.

Snow accumulation rates of up to 5 centimeters per hour can be seen in some places during the worst storm on Saturday, making road conditions dangerous, according to the Canadian Ministry of the Environment.

Residents of Quebec, the North Shore, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Gaspésie, and the Magdalen Islands should prepare for stormy weather and very high waves.

The meteorologist from the Canadian Ministry of the Environment also added that from now until Saturday, coastal flooding could occur in the same areas as during the recent storm, especially in regions near Quebec, Saguenay, and the southeastern parts of Gaspésie, although it is slightly less intense in Gaspésie.

Road closures along the river are possible.

In certain areas such as Estrie, snow is expected to turn to rain during Saturday, and icy conditions accompanied by violent winds may cause power outages again.

In New Brunswick, snowfall will reach the eastern part of the province Saturday evening. Snow will turn to sleet, then rain will fall over most of the province later in the day.

The Canadian Environmental Agency also warns that this disturbance will coincide with a high astronomical tide, which will cause water levels to rise.

Wind speeds are expected to reach 90 km/h near the Bay of Fundy coast and along Chaleur Bay.