Eastern and northern Nova Scotia under snowfall, blowing snow warnings

Much of eastern and northern Nova Scotia is under a snowfall warning as Environment Canada forecasts between 15 and 20 centimetres of snow that will continue into tonight.

Freezing rain has knocked out power to more than 6,000 Nova Scotia Power customers along the southwest coast. The majority of the outages are centred around Charleston in Queens County. The utility estimates it will take until at least 8 p.m. tonight to restore the electricity, according to its website.

Areas under snowfall warning include Pictou, Guysborough, Antigonish, Richmond, Victoria, Inverness and Cape Breton counties as a low pressure system heads east across the province.

Those areas are also under a blowing snow advisory beginning early tomorrow. Environment Canada issues such advisories when winds are expected to create blowing snow that reduces visibility to 800 metres or less for at least three hours.

Most school boards cancelled classes or decided to dismiss early today. Schools in Halifax Regional School Board, Cape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board and in Cumberland County remained open.

It was a slippery commute for many in Nova Scotia this morning, with nearly all the western and central parts of the province under a freezing rain warning. That warning was lifted late morning.

However, those regions can expect a changeover to snow before tapering off this afternoon.