Storm stalls offshore, buries St. John’s under heavy snow as closures spread
A slow-moving winter system is sending up to 50 cm across northeastern Newfoundland, forcing schools to remain closed and increasing the likelihood of highway closures and power outages.
A powerful winter storm hovering offshore is dumping heavy, prolonged snowfall on northeastern Newfoundland, with St. John's projected to get nearly 50 centimetres before the slow-moving system slows down later this week.
Snowfall grew Wednesday morning, with rates of three to five centimetres per hour and winds of 60 to 80 kilometres per hour, resulting in near-blizzard conditions and severely reduced visibility.
Officials advise residents to avoid unnecessary travel during the heaviest snowfall. As the storm moved across the Avalon Peninsula on Wednesday, St. John's had already received 26 centimetres.
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Closures mount as snowfall intensifies
The storm has already disrupted daily life, forcing school closures throughout the Avalon Peninsula and much of eastern Newfoundland. Highway closures are also possible as visibility deteriorates and drifting snow accumulates.
For St.John, the snow intensity is expected to go from Heavy to Moderate going into Thursday morning, then remain light across the day, all the way to the evening.
According to forecasters, the nearly stationary low-pressure system will keep moving offshore through Thursday, ensuring consistent snowfall across the region.
Prolonged storm keeps totals climbing
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Significant snowfalls are expected in a number of communities, including St. John's (40 to 50 centimetres), Bonavista (30 to 40 centimetres) and Clarenville (20 to 30 centimetres).
Lower totals of 15 to 25 centimetres are expected in Gander and 10 to 20 centimetres in Badger and Burin.
The storm won't be expected to shift significantly until Friday morning, causing snow to fall along the north coasts into Thursday and extending disruptions in northeastern Newfoundland.
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