Powerful winds prompted power outages and school closures, disrupted ferry service, and caused damage across Atlantic Canada as an intense weather system moved through the region Tuesday.

Nova Scotia Power was reporting 241 active outages affecting 10,570 customers across the province as of 1 p.m. Tuesday.

The power outages forced several schools in Cape Breton and in the Chignecto-Central Regional Centre for Education to close early for the day.

In Sydney, high winds snapped century-old trees like twigs.

Terry Desveaux arrived home to find his roof damaged, window smashed, and door shattered, after a tree fell on his house. 

“I'm pretty well disgusted,” Desveaux said. “It’s bad luck I guess.”

Fire crews were also kept busy responding to downed lines.

Glenn Campbell woke up to loud noise and later found out tje power lines in front of his home were ripped from this utility pole.

“I was in my house and heard bang, bang, bang,” Campbell said. “The lights were just flickering. To me, it sounded like something was going to catch on fire.”

Dalhousie University's Agricultural Campus in Bible Hill, N.S. also closed early due to a power outage and afternoon classes were cancelled. The campus will reopen at 4:30 p.m. and evening classes will go ahead.

The Nova Scotia Community College was also forced to close its Strait Area Campus.

In New Brunswick, roughly 17,180 customers across the province were without power as of 1 p.m.

Several schools in the Fredericton area had to close early due to the outages.

Maritime Electric was also reporting scattered outages affecting 12,275 customers across Prince Edward Island as of 1 p.m. Tuesday.

Schools in the Montague, Three Oaks, and Westisle families of schools on Prince Edward Island dismissed students early, along with West Kent Elementary.

The windy weather also caused travel disruptions across Atlantic Canada.

The Confederation Bridge restricted high-sided vehicles from crossing the span due to high winds while Northumberland Ferries cancelled all crossings between Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island Tuesday.

Marine Atlantic cancelled all ferry crossings between North Sydney, N.S. and Port aux Basques, N.L. Tuesday morning. The 11:45 p.m. ferry scheduled to depart Port aux Basques Tuesday evening is instead scheduled to depart Wednesday at 11:45 a.m. The 11:45 p.m. ferry scheduled to depart North Sydney Tuesday evening will depart when the weather permits.

The powerful winds also caused some damage in the region. The fence at the Fredericton Raceway blew down Tuesday morning, along with some trees in the Halifax area.