Many students in the Halifax area were stranded at their schools Thursday afternoon after Stock Transportation deemed the roads too icy.

The majority of school boards across Nova Scotia cancelled classes on Thursday, but the Halifax Regional School Board decided to remain open. The school board says that decision was made at 11 a.m. because if they were to close early, students and buses would be caught in the worst of the storm. Stock Transportation had also advised the school board that buses would be able to operate.

But the mix of snow and ice pellets continued well into the afternoon, making for a slippery commute home.

Stock Transportation took to social media to alert parents that many bus routes in rural areas of HRM would not be able to operate due to poor road conditions, leaving some students stranded at school.     

Stock later announced all routes would be covered, but to expect delays as the weather system made its way through the region.

The whole situation caused confusion and raised questions from parents about why schools were open in the first place.

The RCMP was asking motorists to stay off the roads Thursday afternoon. There were a number of vehicles off the road, including a tractor-trailor in Cape Breton’s Port Caledonia.

There were also a number of delays and cancellations at Halifax Stanfield International Airport.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Suzette Belliveau.