Police warned people to stay off the roads Thursday as Prince Edward Island was blasted by a winter storm, essentially shutting down the Island.

Snow blanketed Charlottetown on New Year's Day. (Tracy Lightfoot/CBC)

Snowplows were pulled off the roads around 6 a.m. because of near-zero visibility and blowing snow. Transportation officials say they may not be able to get the plows back on the roads until Friday morning.

Police say some people have abandoned their vehicles in snowdrifts along the sides of the roads.

"The roads were icy and snow-covered," said the CBC's Sara Fraser. "It was a bit of a horror story getting to [work]."

Many flights in or out of the Charlottetown Airport have been cancelled or delayed, while the Confederation Bridge is closed to high-sided vehicles.

A few scattered power outages have been reported, and some Charlottetown hotels are offering special rates for storm-stayed visitors.

Most of the annual New Year's levees, including the army and lieutenant-governor's levees, have been cancelled. A longstanding tradition on the Island, the gatherings give people a chance to meet their neighbours and dignitaries.

Charlottetown's Polar Bear swim went ahead, however, as four swimmers took the plunge.

Snowfall will vary

Snowfall totals will vary from 15 to 25 centimetres Thursday, depending on the area, said Environment Canada.

Polar bear swimmers take the plunge Thursday in P.E.I. (CBC)

Kings County is expected to see the most snow, with as much as 25 centimetres forecast, while Queens and Prince counties will see as much as 15 centimetres.

Wind gusts could reach as high as 100 km/h throughout the province.

The heavy snowfall is expected to change to flurries by evening and end by Friday afternoon.

"Typical winter. This is [like] the old-fashioned winters…. People aren't used to it," said one unidentified man who ventured into the storm in Charlottetown. "This is what winters used to be like 20 years ago."

Nova Scotia and parts of eastern New Brunswick have also been hit by the storm, with Cape Breton expected to bear the brunt of it with heavy snowfalls.

Many flights in and out of Halifax's Stanfield International Airport have also been cancelled or delayed.

Airport spokesman Peter Spurway said runway plows had been operating since the storm began late Wednesday, but had been fighting an uphill battle with the conditions.

"The drifting of the snow is definitely an issue," said Spurway. "Guys go up and down the runways with the brushes and move it and in comes a new set. So the winds are the bigger issue than the accumulation of snow at this point."

Spurway said he didn't think the flight schedule would improve too much as the day progressed.

With files from the Canadian Press