A storm expected to bring both freezing drizzle and snow moved into Newfoundland on Thursday, with authorities shutting down schools early.

The storm will strike much of the island and is expected to be a long one, with snow expected to keep falling into Friday.

"It will likely be a long, drawn-out affair over the course of 24 hours," said CBC meteorologist Ryan Snoddon. "Snow will continue to fall until mid-day Friday," added Ryan.

Snoddon says while models on the storm are conflicting, as much as 30 centimetres could fall on some areas — including the northeast Avalon — through the course of the storm.

Dale Foote, who works with Environment Canada's office in Gander, said the storm will be sloppy, and will have a broad impact.

"We have overall snowfall amounts of between 15 and 25 centimetres, from anywhere from the south coast up to the Avalon, up towards the Bonavista, Clarenville, Terra Nova area, and even as much as 15 centimetres in Gander and vicinity," Foote said Thursday morning.

The Eastern School District closed many of its schools on the Avalon and Burin peninsulas, including in the metro St. John's area.

College of the North Atlantic followed suit by closing its Clarenville, Placentia, Burin and Carbonear campuses for the day.

Road Accidents

A section of highway north of Clarenville was closed around 11 a.m. after a tractor trailer overturned on the road in George's Brook. Police said it would take at least an hour to clear things up.

RCMP issued a warning to motorists to drive with caution in the New Harbour barrens area following a multi-vehicle accident this morning. Police said the roads were slippery with icy conditions.

The storm is the latest in a series of more than a dozen systems that have plowed into Newfoundland and Labrador since early January.