ABOVE: An intense blizzard hit Nova Scotia early this morning and caused havoc throughout the day. Global’s Natasha Pace reports.
HALIFAX – A blizzard dealt a wintry smack to the Maritimes Friday, cancelling flights, interrupting public transit and closing government offices, universities and stores in the region. (For full details, see our live blog below.)
Police are urging people to stay off the roads as plow operators try to clear snow, only to have it quickly build back up because of high winds.
Metro Transit said it was pulling its buses off the road until 5 a.m. on Saturday.
James Rogers, a federal civil servant in Halifax, says he arrived at work only to be told to go back home.
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He says the weather isn’t surprising given the time of year, but he said drivers should pay extra attention on the roads after he nearly got hit by a driver going down a one-way street incorrectly.
Liquor stores in Nova Scotia were closed early in Halifax, the Annapolis Valley and the South Shore, and buses in Halifax were forced to pull over on nearly deserted streets as a result of the storm.
Numerous flight delays and cancellations were reported in Halifax, Charlottetown and Moncton.
Environment Canada says there are reports of local flooding along Nova Scotia’s Atlantic coast to Liverpool because of higher than normal water levels.
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The blizzard is expected to pass southeast of Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula overnight.
For up-to-date weather information, download the Global News Skytracker app.
*With files from The Canadian Press
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