Storm rolls east to Atlantic Canada
Snowfall warnings have now ended for Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, but continue for P.E.I. as a storm described as the "strongest of the season" moved in Wednesday.
The storm originated in Texas and wreaked havoc on the U.S. Midwest on Tuesday. Ontario's storm, less severe than predicted, still dumped 15 to 20 centimetres of snow Wednesday before moving on to Atlantic Canada.
Environment Canada expects the snow will begin in East Coast locations Wednesday afternoon. Nova Scotia will be hardest hit, with 25 to 45 centimetres forecast.
Environment Canada meteorologist Andy Firth said it will be another fast-moving storm.
The region's largest airport, in Halifax, is reporting a long list of cancellations and delays, both domestic and international.
Most of the public schools are closed on the Nova Scotia mainland, and universities in Halifax, including Dalhousie University, The University of King's College, Saint Mary's University and Mount Saint Vincent University closed early early Wednesday. Government offices in the southwest are closed.
All HRM programs at recreation centres and pools were cancelled for the day, with the exception of skating lessons in Cole Harbour Place.
The Canada Games Oval was closed at 2 p.m.
All community centres were closed as of 5 p.m.
Schools are closed in many of New Brunswick's southern school districts Wednesday. Other New Brunswick schools closed early.
"With the schools closed, we feel that children could be out in full force playing. So we just want to get a message out to the motorists to be mindful of that because they're very hard to see, especially in the light conditions," said Halifax RCMP Cpl. Scott MacRae.
"Be mindful where your kids are playing because large snow equipment is very hard to slow down, to see, and we just want our children to be safe."
The storm will drop about 30 centimetres on southern New Brunswick, but the north will only see a couple of centimetres. Most flights in and out of the Greater Moncton Airport were cancelled as of 5 p.m.
On P.E.I., 15 to 25 centimetres were expected, with amounts diminishing moving westward in the province.
Most flights in and out of the Charlottetown airport have been cancelled or delayed.
At 9:30 p.m., Environment Canada ended the snowfall warnings for the Maritimes.
The storm will mostly pass out to sea after leaving the Maritimes. Only the Avalon Peninsula, including St. John's, and the Burin Peninsula, are expected to get much snow in Newfoundland and Labrador. That snow is expected to start to fall overnight, with a total of 30 centimetres expected.