Some schools in Cape Breton and mainland Nova Scotia were closed Tuesday after snow fell across the province overnight.

Most of mainland Nova Scotia received between 5 and 20 centimetres of snow, while more than 20 centimetres fell in Sydney.

Cape Breton Regional Police were warning motorists to avoid unnecessary travel early Tuesday, due to blowing snow and slick, snow-covered roads.

Classes were cancelled for all schools in the Cape Breton - Victoria Regional and Strait Regional school boards.

The NSCC closed its Marconi campus for the day, while Cape Breton University closed its campus for the morning.

The poor road conditions also prompted Transit Cape Breton to cancel services until noon.

The Halifax area also saw significant snowfall, prompting school closures in the Duncan MacMillan and Musquodoboit Rural Families of Schools.

Schools in the West Hants area of the Annapolis Valley Regional School Board were also closed.

Many roads were slick and snow-covered in the Halifax area Tuesday morning, forcing some transit buses to operate on snow plans, and making for a tricky morning commute.

The overnight winter parking ban was in effect in the Halifax area from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesday. It has since been lifted.

The weather also delayed the departure of HMCS St. John’s by two hours. The Royal Canadian Navy ship is headed to the Mediterranean Sea for a deployment with NATO forces. It was supposed to leave Halifax at 10 a.m. but departed at 12 p.m. instead.