Astonishing snowfall totals as massive storm slams East Coast

Tuesday, February 17, 2015, 7:11 AM - Unbelievable amounts of snow hit Prince Edward Island over the weekend, and much of the rest of the region is struggling to return to normal.

Numerous schools are closed across the Maritimes, and road crews will have a tough time making highways passable. 

The Confederation Bridge is re-opened after a closure during the storm, but highways in northern Nova Scotia linking the province to New Brunswick were still closed Tuesday morning, with most others plagued by drifts and poor conditions.

That's after the storm dumped up to 80 cm onto the region, blown about by winds well exceeding 100 km/h in some locations.

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Aside from wreaking havoc on the roads across the region for those who didn't stay home, it's going to take awhile to dig out.

The weight of the snow is responsible for the partial collapse of the roof at the Halifax Curling Club on Sunday, although no one was inside at the time.

The Red Cross reports around 20 people are homeless after having to flee their homes during fires which broke out during the storm.

In New Annan, PEI, 18 people were evacuated from a motel complex in blizzard conditions on Monday, and another fire forced two others from their home near Winsloe.  

Another fire in a Fredericton apartment complex forced the evacuation of one woman. With slippery conditions due to plummetting temperatures, the Red Cross says one of its volunteers slipped and fell, and was taken to hospital after suffering a gash to the head.

Even though the storm is mostly cleared out, closures are widespread across the region. Here's a breakdown:

Schools:

• Nova Scotia: Schools closed in Halifax, Annapolis Valley, Cape Breton, Strait, South Shore, Tri-County and Chignecto Centre Regional School Boards. 
• New Brunswick: All schools in Anglophone East School District are closed.In Anglophone South, Hampton and Sussex schools are closed. Francophone South schools closed except for Fredericton, Oromocto, Saint John and Quispamsis. Major bus delays in many districts.
• Prince Edward Island: English and French schools closed for the day.

Universities and Colleges

• Nova Scotia: NSCC campuses closed except for Pictou and Truro. Dalhousie, Acadia open.
• New Brunswick: Mt. Allison closed until noon. UNB Saint John classes cancelled. UDM closed until 1 p.m. NBCC campuses in Woodstock, Fredericton, Miramichi, Saint John classes cancelled, classes delayed in St. Andrews and Moncton.
• PEI: Holland College, UPEI campuses closed. 

Transportation:

• Nova Scotia: Many highways north of Truro closed. All others fully or partially covered.
• New Brunswick: Most highways covered or party covered. Gagetown and Belleisle Bay ferries closed. Canso Causeway closed until further notice.
• Prince Edward Island: Confederation Bridge re-opened. All highways listed as covered.

Airlines

• Fredericton: Few delays.
• Moncton: Few delays.
• Saint John: Few delays.
• Charlottetown: Few delays.
• St. John's: Several cancellations and delays reported.

As for what remains, an offshore system will have an impact on Nova Scotia late day into tomorrow, with a few centimetes of snow expected. 

Bigger impact for eastern Newfoundland on Wednesday, with parts of the Avalon on track to receive up to 10 cm by the end of the day.

Bu forecasters are looking ahead to Thursday, when another system is set to impact the region. Check back often for a look at how this potential storm could impact Atlantic Canada.

WATCH BELOW: 12 hours of snow compressed into 48 seconds in Oxford, Nova Scotia.