Nor'easter plows Newfoundland with over 40 cm of snow

Sunday, March 6, 2016, 1:31 PM - Weather advisories have been dropped in Atlantic Canada after a powerful Nor'easter dumped over 40 cm of snow in parts of Newfoundland.

The intense low-pressure system developed east of the Carolinas Friday before moving northeastward, Environment Canada said in a statement. The system passed south of Nova Scotia Saturday with snow, blowing snow, and strong winds to much of the province, before continuing its track through Newfoundland, overnight through Sunday.

"Wrap around blowing and light snow through early Sunday afternoon should beef up snow totals in Newfoundland by a couple more centimetres," says Weather Network meteorologist Tyler Hamilton.

As of Sunday morning, Halifax picked up locally as much as 22 cm of snow, with a whopping 30 cm reported in Sydney. The backside of the system made its way out of Nova Scotia through Saturday night, impacting Newfoundland the hardest overnight through Sunday afternoon. Gander already picked up more than 40 cm.

Through the morning and early afternoon, strong wind gusts will ease over the northern shores of Newfoundland, but gusts of 90 to 100 km/h are possible over exposed coastal sections, Hamilton notes.

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Though the worst is over for Nova Scotia, Halifax Regional Police are asking residents to stay off the roads. Follow 511 Nova Scotia for the latest on road conditions.

Several flights were out of Stanfield International Airport as a result of the storm, with some Halifax Transit routes running on a snow plan. Additionally, sailings have been cancelled by Marine Atlantic between Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland and North Sydney, Nova Scotia. Ferries scheduled to cross the Cabot Strait Saturday have been postponed until Sunday morning.

The system is expected to track out of Newfoundland by the afternoon.