Another snow day as Halifax digs out after blizzard

The blizzard has ended in Halifax, but the municipality is still digging out after Monday’s massive storm.

NEWS 95.7 weather specialist John Wilson said flurries and blowing snow will still be a factor today, and yesterday’s snowfall was a record breaker.

“Up to midnight, the airport reports 50 centimetres of snow, now that’s quite a difference from the 6 o’clock total of about 35,” he said.

Wilson said the previous record for the date is 37.8 centimetres in 1953.

Most students have another snow today, and transit operations will be phased in starting with ferry service at 7 a.m., barring any mechanical issues or problems at the terminals.

Halifax Transit is hoping to get buses back on the roads by 5 p.m.

HRM spokesperson Tiffany Chase told NEWS 95.7 this will give crews more time to clear snow, however she warns once service resumes, people could still have a challenging commute.

“We would remind people if they plan to use the transit service, be aware sidewalks and bus stops likely will not be accessible,” she said. “There may be some completed, but the majority will not be completed for a few days.”

She said winter operations staff faced challenging conditions during the storm with heavy snow fall and high wind blowing snow back into streets after they’ve been cleared.

Crews have now started to focus on plowing residential streets, but it could be a couple days before full lane width clearing can be completed.

HRM will be enforcing the winter parking ban overnight into Wednesday, however Chase said residents can help the snow clearing process by finding off-street parking day or night.

“When we have cars parked on streets, it can severely hamper our ability to get around them, and it leaves a big mound of snow when the car moves,” she explained.

More snow is on the way, with John Wilson expecting another system to impact Halifax Thursday.

“Not as powerful as this one, but it’ll still carry a pretty hefty wind, and likely about 10 centimetres of snow,” Wilson said. “That’s a real ballpark figure, if it winds up a little tighter, there could be more.”

 

CANCELLATIONS

SCHOOLS

-All Halifax Regional School Board schools and central office will remain closed

-CSAP schools in HRM, South Shore, Truro and Greenwood, along with Pomquet and Cape Breton will be closed

-Sandy Lake Academy will remain closed

-Halifax Christian Academy’s Armdale Campus is closed

-Sacred Heart will be closed

-Halifax Grammar School will be closed

-Schools in the Chignecto Central Regional School Board are closed, any planned Grade Primary registration sessions are also cancelled, a decision on offices and worksites will be made by 6:30 a.m.

-All Annapolis Valley Regional School Board schools will be closed, offices and worksites will delay opening to 12 noon

-All South Shore Regional School Board schools will be closed, regional office will delay opening until 12:00 noon

-Strait Regional School Board classes cancelled, support staff report at noon, opening to be reassessed at 10:30 a.m.

-School for all students and all school board employees of the Cape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board is cancelled

-Tri-County Regional School Board will be closed today as well.

-All NSCC campuses are closed

-Dalhousie’s Halifax campuses will remain closed all day, Truro campus will delay opening with an update expected by 10:30 a.m.

-University of King’s College and Dalhousie’s Halifax campus will remain closed

-Saint Mary’s University will be closed all day

-Mount Saint Vincent University closed all day

-NSCAD will remain closed with no access to facilities until Wednesday morning

-Atlantic School of Theology is closed

TRANSPORTATION

-Halifax Transit is hoping to resume bus service at 5 p.m.

-Halifax Transit plans to resume ferry service beginning at 7 a.m.

-Halifax Harbour Bridges says The Big Lift shuttle is not operating this morning

-There are several delayed flights at Halifax Stanfield International Airport, check with your airline

-Tancook Ferry will remain out of service

-Maritime Bus: Some Routes cancelled today. Rt 101, Rt 100, Rt 151, Rt 301 and 300. See website for more information.

HEALTH CARE

-IWK Health Centre has cancelled all ambulatory clinic appointments in Women’s and Newborn Health, Children’s Health, and Mental Health and Addictions

-IWK’s outpatient blood collection, lab, breast screening and x-ray departments are closed

-Nova Scotia Health Authority has cancelled all elective surgeries in the Halifax-area

-Nova Scotia Health Authority says all outpatient services in HRM/West Hants including walk-in diagnostic imaging are cancelled until noon

-Nova Scotia Health Authority says home visits for home care, nursing, care coordination, home oxygen and equipment services may be delayed or cancelled

-Nova Scotia Health Authority says all community and outpatient mental health and addictions services including Connections Dartmouth/Halifax/Sackville are closed until noon

-Nova Scotia Health Authority says blood collection offsite and for outpatients will be closed until noon

GOVERNMENT/SERVICES

-Base and Dockyard will remain closed for the rest of the day due to snow clearance and transport challenges

-Curbside collection of garbage, recycling and green carts has been cancelled, if this affects you, you’ll be allowed double bag limits Tuesday, Feb. 28.

-All municipal offices, customer service centres, and recreation facilities will be closed

-All branches and departments of Halifax Public Libraries will be closed all day

-Provincial government offices will remain closed, with the exception of offices located in Yarmouth, Shelburne, Lunenburg and Queens

-The law amendments committee meeting to hear presentations on Bill 59, An Act Respecting Accessibility in Nova Scotia, has been postponed until further notice

-Provincial standing committee on public accounts meeting has been postponed

-DFO offices in Halifax are closed this morning

-Halifax Water offices will be closed Tuesday

-The First Baptist food bank on Ochterloney Street will be closed

-Feed Nova Scotia is closed for at least the morning as they try to dig their parking lot out

-Nova Scotia Legal Aid offices are closed or have a delayed opening, they say call ahead

-Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia’s Halifax office is closed for the day

-Canadian Red Cross Halifax office will open at noon

-Irving Shipbuilding: Due to inclement weather on February 14, 2017, Irving Shipbuilding’s Halifax Shipyard, Marine Fabricators and Woodside Industries facilities will remain closed to the unionized workforce on day, night and back shifts. The facility will open for staff on day shift at noon. Staff are asked to park in the parking garage to allow Facilities and Maintenance space to continue snow removal operations.

-Most Nova Scotia Legal Aid offices are closed or have a delayed opening, they say call ahead

BUSINESSES

-Halifax Shopping Centre will be open at noon

-Mic Mac Mall is planning to open at noon, they’ll re-evaluate by 9 a.m.

-The majority of Dartmouth Crossing will remain closed until noon

-Scotia Square has some stores open

-The Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market will delay opening until at least noon

-All branches of East Coast Credit Union will be closed until at least 1 p.m.

-NSLC hoping to open stores by noon in most areas today.