HALIFAX — Several schools, businesses and ferry services were being shut down for the day in Nova Scotia well before the arrival of a powerful winter storm that is barrelling north toward Atlantic Canada.
Environment Canada has issued winter storm warnings and watches for Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, P.E.I. and parts of Newfoundland and Labrador, saying the low-pressure system east of Cape Hatteras will bring fierce winds and heavy snow.
It says the system could bring 45 centimetres of snow, roughly 30 millimetres of rain along with wind gusts of up to 170 km/h in some areas.
Nova Scotia Power says it will have more than 1,000 people at the ready in what is its biggest-ever pre-storm mobilization of personnel and resources in advance of what was being described as a severe winter storm, but which hadn’t yet produced any weather as of 7 a.m. AT today.
Halifax Stanfield International Airport is also warning that flights will be affected, while Marine Atlantic cancelled sailings between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.
Environment Canada adds that residents should prepare for quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions and possible transportation delays.