Newfoundland's 1st major snowfall of the season expected to continue through the evening
Heavy snow is expected to continue across much of Newfoundland — and resume falling on the Avalon Peninsula — Thursday night.
Meteorologist Rob Carroll told CBC Radio's St. John's Morning Show that areas between the Bonavista Peninsula and Gander will get the heaviest snow. The Gander weather station had recorded 20 centimetres as of 12:30 p.m. NT, with more expected.
Parts of the Avalon Peninsula saw heavy snow throughout the morning, with about 15 centimetres accumulating, and possibly more over the northwestern Avalon.
The snow became ice pellets and rain early Thursday afternoon on the Avalon, and will continue until somewhere between 6 and 7 p.m., when it becomes snow again, according to CBC meteorologist Ashley Brauweiler.
Wind gusts will also ramp up dramatically between 7 and 10 p.m., and could reach as high as 120 to 140 km/h.
For areas that will see snow change to rain, Carroll said the rain won't have time to melt the snow as another two to five centimetres is expected to fall on top of it Thursday evening.
"It's going to make quite a slushy mess," he said.
All St. John's-area schools delayed opening for two hours, the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District said Thursday morning.
Schools throughout other areas of the island were closed for the day.
Eastern Health said COVID-19 clinics in Marystown, Bonavista and Clarenville were cancelled for Thursday while the DoorWays counselling services in St. John's was offered by phone or video.
'If the snow was going to come, let it come!'
While areas of the Avalon were being hit with showers, Gander residents were out in force with shovels and snowblowers.
"It's not unusual, like I've seen worse," said Amanda Price during a brief shovelling break.
"I was just kind of like, 'If the snow was going to come, let it come!'"
Dean Brush and his six-year-old son, Charlie, were excited to see the snow with a day off school and work. Charlie even helped his dad operate the snowblower.
"I like to build snowmans and I like to do angels in snow," Charlie said.
His father said it was "about time" the snow fell.
"It's December, we need some snow," Dean said. "It's always nice to have a white Christmas."
But Barry Winters said while the snow gives him time to play with his son, he — despite his last name — would have preferred it hadn't fallen at all.
"Me personally, I don't like the snow in general," he said. "He's probably gonna get a kick out of throwing snowballs at me."
