A significant winter storm hit Nova Scotia, leading to school closures and flight cancellations in and out of Halifax. The storm is expected to continue into Tuesday, potentially dumping over 40 centimeters of snow in some areas. Public schools and universities, including Dalhousie University, shut down along with Nova Scotia Community College campuses.
The provincial government offices also closed as the storm intensified. Public Works Minister Fred Tilley mentioned that around 400 snow-clearing vehicles were deployed to tackle the snow accumulation. The storm is predicted to bring additional snowfall mainly to the northeast, with Cape Breton expecting 15 to 25 cm more by Tuesday evening.
In other regions, Annapolis Valley, Hants, and Halifax counties may receive 5 to 15 cm of snow, while lesser amounts are anticipated in the southwest. Halifax faced disruptions at the airport, affecting flights due to weather conditions in other cities. The Halifax Regional Municipality declared office closures and implemented a parking ban for ongoing road clearance efforts.
Mayor Andy Fillmore emphasized the challenge of clearing 4,300 kilometers of streets and 1,000 kilometers of sidewalks in Halifax. Meanwhile, Nova Scotia Power lifted the energy conservation warning issued earlier due to increased heating demands during the cold snap. Only a few customers experienced power outages, with the utility attributing the previous outage to heavy snow causing equipment issues.
Some residents expressed dissatisfaction with Nova Scotia Power’s conservation request following recent power disruptions. The utility is investing $1.3 billion to enhance grid reliability and has intensified tree-trimming initiatives to prevent future outages. Last week’s outage was caused by heavy snow accumulation on equipment and falling branches affecting power lines.