Winter storm blasts parts of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland

An onslaught of snow across Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador is making for a messy morning, as tough road conditions have led to a string of cancellations and delays in both provinces.

Between 30 and 45 centimetres of snow was expected for eastern Newfoundland and the province's south coast on Tuesday. In Nova Scotia, Cape Breton was getting hit the hardest by the storm, with over 30 centimetres on the ground by Tuesday morning. In Halifax, at least 15 centimetres had fallen overnight.

CBC meteorologist Tina Simpkin says Cape Breton could still receive an additional 5 to 10 centimetres of snow on Tuesday, while flurries remain in the forecast for the rest of the province, with northerly winds gusting 20 to 40 km/h.

Schools in Cape Breton were closed Tuesday morning, and late openings were planned at many schools and post-secondary institutions across Nova Scotia. 

The Newfoundland and Labrador English School District closed all schools on the Avalon Peninsula, Bonavista Peninsula, Burin Peninsula, and other areas around eastern Newfoundland around 6 a.m. NT. Public transit in St. John's, meanwhile, has been suspended, with an update expected later Tuesday.

The storm is also causing flight delays and cancellations in Halifax, St. John's, and Sydney, N.S.

While the brunt of the storm has now passed in Nova Scotia, Newfoundlanders living in the east and on the south coast of the island should expect snow to continue throughout the day and into Wednesday morning. Winds are expected to gust around 80 km/h, with peak winds reaching 100 km/h on the tail end of the storm.

Relief won't last long for Nova Scotians, however.

Another system is heading toward Nova Scotia for Wednesday night that promises messy weather, Simpkin says. Showers will begin on Wednesday evening across the province, with more rain expected through Thursday morning.

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