Most of Newfoundland is shut down Tuesday as a winter blizzard howls across the island, closing schools, businesses and transportation routes.

In central Newfoundland, plows were taken off the road as the blizzard raged, causing whiteout conditions for more than 24 hours straight.

More than 25 centimetres of snow landed on central N.L. Monday. About 50 centimetres in total is expected before the blizzard blows out Wednesday.
(CBC)

The RCMP in the area describe the Trans-Canada Highway as treacherous, and advise people to stay away. The Bay d'Espoir highway was clogged with snow as well. Schools, banks, government offices, businesses and the courts are closed in the region.

The fine, sugar-like snow has been whipped up by high winds since mid-afternoon Monday, with more than 25 centimetres dumped on the region. Environment Canada's weather office said early Tuesday morning there was no likely improvement in the near future, and it expected more than 50 cm of snow to hit the region by Wednesday. At that point, the precipitation is expected to turn to rain and ice pellets.

After almost 40 cm of snow fell overnight Monday on the eastern portion of the island, freezing rain began falling Tuesday morning, closing schools, provincial government offices, the courts and banks. Metrobus in the St. John's area was taken off the road and the campuses of the College of the North Atlantic and Memorial University remain closed.

The Trans-Canada Highway was closed at Dow Hills on the Avalon Peninsula, provincial ferries in the region remain at dock and all flights into and out of St. John's International Airport were cancelled.

The temperature was around the freezing mark Tuesday morning in eastern Newfoundland, keeping the precipitation as rain and freezing, while the region began to clean up from what many are calling the worst storm of the season.