More than 28,000 customers in New Brunswick spent the day without power.
Everything was encased in ice, as trees sagged over power lines, and traffic lights flashed, or sat in the dark.
Once again, Maritimers bundled-up in the face of freezing rain.
“I’m so sick of Mother Nature,” exclaims Carrie Lewin. “She needs a vacation like I do.”
Lewin just arrived to the province, and after a brief taste of this late spring winter-like blast, she’s heading back home to Toronto where it’s plus nine.
“My husband and kids are wearing shorts outside,” she adds.
The freezing rain and wind delivered a knockout punch to the westernpart of Prince Edward Island.
Power lines toppled like tooth picks, and schools closed for the fourth day in a row.
Maritime Electric crews remained worried about what could be extensive damage to their lines.
Students had a full day off school in most parts of New Brunswick.
Officials pulled the plug in Saint John around noon, when flooded roads began to freeze as the temperature dipped.
“Our main priority is to keep the roads safe and passable,” explains Kevin Rice of Saint John City Works. “We’ve got crews out there making sure the freezing rain is neutralized with some salt.”
There have also been several cancellations at the Greater Moncton International Airport.
Mostly regional connections between places like Moncton and Halifax.
Crews have been working tirelessly to make sure runways are clear.
New technology helps monitor the state of runways.
“It allows us to have a look,” says Airside Operations Manager Brian Hackett. “To see what way the temperatures are going.”
Since mid-Monday afternoon, temperatures have continued to plummet, meaning any water and slush on the ground will freeze, ahead of a significant snowfall that’s still to come.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Jonathan MacInnis
