If you were looking for signs of an early spring, well, look elsewhere, because most of southern Canada is about to get walloped by a strong hit of winter weather.

A huge winter storm is expected to descend across parts of Ontario and Quebec later on Wednesday and quickly spread across Atlantic Canada over the next two days, prompting Environment Canada to issue a flurry of weather warnings.

Environment Canada has issued a winter storm watch for Montreal, with heavy blowing snow and severe temperature drop

A large portion of Ontario, from the Temiskaming-Temagami area in the north to the Sarnia area in the south, is under a snowfall warning, as is the southern half of Quebec

Winter weather advisories issued earlier this week are being upgraded to warnings ahead of a storm expected to bring up to 40 cm to parts of southern Ontario.

Some areas could see up to 35 cm of snow, hence the warnings across southern Ontario. Gusty winds will make for reduced visibility in blowing snow, even after the system has passed. Meteorologist Nadine Powell tells us when the snow arrives,

Much of southern Ontario and Quebec is under winter storm and snowfall warnings as a low-pressure system moves east toward the Atlantic provinces.