Blizzard slams Atlantic Canada, closing schools, disrupting travel

HALIFAX – A blizzard slammed parts of Atlantic Canada today, closing schools and government offices as well as disrupting travel throughout the region.

Flights were delayed or cancelled, universities and colleges shut down and recreational programs postponed as crews worked to clear roads in blinding conditions.

Environment Canada says there were two distinct phases to the storm, with the first bringing between three and five centimetres of snow on Tuesday night through Wednesday morning in western Nova Scotia and the Halifax area.

A second, more powerful blow hit later, dumping heavier snowfall amounts that were expected to range from 15 to 30 centimetres in Nova Scotia and 15 to 25 centimetres in southeastern New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

Wind gusts crept close to 70 kilometres per hour in Charlottetown.

Marine Atlantic cancelled its ferry crossings between Port aux Basques, N.L., and Sydney, N.S. due to high winds and rough sea conditions.

The health board that oversees services in Cape Breton moved to emergency services only as the storm swept through.