The first significant snowfall of the season cancelled classes and services across Nova Scotia Thursday.
All public schools are closed for the day, as well as schools in the Clare and Argyle region of Conseil Scolaire Acadien Provincial.
Cape Breton University, Universite de Sainte-Anne, NSCAD and all NSCC campuses have closed their campuses for the day, while Mount Saint Vincent University has delayed opening until 10:30 a.m. and Saint Mary’s University is to open at noon.
Dalhousie University, University of King’s College and St. Francis Xavier University have postponed all of today’s in-person exams to a later date. However, any online exams scheduled for St. F.X. will proceed as scheduled.
If you need to catch a ride to work, you may be waiting a while.
All Halifax Transit services, including ferries and access-a-bus, will not be up and running until noon due to road conditions. Transit Cape Breton is also not on the road yet and will determine later in the day when it will be operational. People trying to take a cab in HRM have also reported high wait times when trying to book through the app.
HRM has sent out crews to clear sidewalks and streets but is asking people to stay off the roads if possible as they are snow covered and there is reduced visibility.
Garbage, recyclables and compost collection in HRM scheduled for Thursday has been pushed back to Saturday. The Rural Refuse Depot in Sheet Harbour will also be closed Thursday.
Recreational centres owned by the municipality will delay opening until noon.
The warming centre, located in the basement of St. Matt’s Church at 1479 Barrington St., will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday.
If you have a snow day and you’re looking to grab a book at the library or get in some Christmas shopping at Mic Mac Mall, you’ll have to wait until noon as all Halifax Public Library branches and the Dartmouth shopping centre have delayed their opening until then.
For those looking to put on their snow boots and go for a stroll, you won’t be able to wander through the Halifax Public Gardens as it will remain closed for the day.
Provincial government offices will delay opening until noon, except for in Cumberland and Colchester counties which are open. Municipal offices in HRM will also open at noon.
The opening of Stadacona, HMC Dockyard, Windsor Park and Willow Park have been delayed until 10 a.m., while the opening of 12 Wing Shearwater is to open at noon.
Irving Shipbuilding cancelled its dayshift Thursday, but the night shift and back shift will go ahead as scheduled.
Snowfall totals
Snow let up in HRM around 8:30 a.m. and is expected to come to a halt for eastern Nova Scotia Thursday afternoon.
Allister Aalders, SaltWire Network’s weather specialist, said official snowfall totals weren’t in as of 9:30 a.m. since snow is still falling in other parts of the province.
There were widespread reports of 15 to 30 centimetres of snow across much of Nova Scotia, Aalders said, with multiple reports of more 30 to 35+ centimetres in the Halifax city centre and along other parts of the Atlantic coast.
As of 9 a.m., Sydney Airport had reported at least 22 centimetres. Other airport observation data was incomplete at that time.
