Residents Work to Keep Heat Pump Clear as Blizzard Blasts St John's

The city of St John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, declared a state of emergency on January 17 as the province was battered by a blizzard that brought high winds and driving snow.

Local authorities ordered all area businesses to close and closed the roads to all traffic except emergency vehicles. Local reports said plowing was also suspended.

Over 14 inches of snow had fallen in St John’s by 1.30 pm local time, reports said, and the city was expected to receive up to 30 inches in all.

Videos filmed by Gavan Watson show blizzard conditions over several hours at his home in the Southlands area of St John’s. “We’re working hard out here to keep the heat pump clear of snow … but you can get a sense of the drifting we’re dealing with,” Watson wrote in a tweet. Credit: Gavan Watson via Storyful