Roads and sidewalks are slick in some parts of the Maritimes as another spring storm sweeps across the region, bringing a messy mix of rain, freezing rain and snow to some areas.
Emergency vehicles responded to several vehicles off the road on Highway 101 near Mount Uniacke. One vehicle lost control and hit a guard rail, but there were no reported injuries.
CTV Meteorologist Cindy Day says all freezing rain warnings that were in effect Wednesday morning have been lifted, but snowfall warnings are in place for all of Cape Breton as well as Antigonish, Guysborough and Pictou counties.
Day says those communities could see between 20 and 30 centimetres of snow by Thursday evening and that strong winds will cause whiteout conditions.
The icy roads closed a number of schools in Nova Scotia Wednesday, some for the second day in a row.
An extended period of freezing rain over the Annapolis Valley and Lunenburg County then changed over to snow in the afternoon, keeping shovellers and snow plow operators busy all day.
"I’m okay with it,” said independent plow operator Derek Gates. “I (have) to send out a bill at the end of the month anyway, so a little extra isn’t going to hurt anything."
All schools in the Tri-County, Annapolis Valley and South Shore regional school boards closed on Wednesday. Schools in Pictou County, Colchester County and in the Municipality of East Hants dismissed students two hours early. All schools in the Strait Regional School Board began dismissing students at 12 p.m.
The snow took a little longer to arrive in Sydney. The first few flakes didn’t fall until mid-afternoon. But businesses spent much of the day preparing.
“Requests for deliveries for customers we don't usually hear from this time of year that are in a panic,” said sales clerk Paul Jenkins. “Sand and salt’s running out at the other outlets.”
The Cape Breton Regional Municipality says crews are preparing for more sleepless nights.
“As the snowfall begins, they'll be salting and clearing the roadways starting with main areas and moving off onto the side streets,” said Shannon Kerr, spokesperson for the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.
While Cape Breton has seen four storms in a week and a half, the city is hoping this is the last wallop to hit the area.
“Normally we prepare for about 15 storms per season. Right now the end of March, we’re currently on track with that, so our budget is also on track,” said Kerr.
The winter parking ban will be enforced from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. in the Halifax area and the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kyle Moore.
