Environment Canada has issued a heavy snowfall warning for parts of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia — bringing a sudden end to the region's warm, dry winter.

Meteorologist Claude Coté says the Maritimes is about to be whacked with a typical winter storm. The snow is expected to start falling on Monday afternoon, continuing overnight with ice pellets and freezing rain in coastal areas. Some areas can expect up to 15 centimetres of snow by Tuesday afternoon.

When the storm moves on, Coté says temperatures will stay cold, until another big weather system moves in again on the weekend, bringing more snow with it.

With temperatures ranging from five to seven degrees above normal for most of the winter, Coté says, Maritimers have been spoiled by mild weather and a lack of snow.

But winter has arrived at last. "We're gradually returning to more seasonal values, and we can expect more of these winter storms and chances are that now the precipitation will remain in the form of snow."