Eastern Newfoundland digs out from a blanket of snow

Drivers in eastern Newfoundlandhave beengetting their first good snow-shovelling workout Friday aftera blanket of thick snow covered the region overnight.

As of 6:15 a.m.Friday morning, 25 cm had hit the St. John's metro region.

Gander was hit with about 12 cm.

"The worst of it is over... basically things are just gradually tapering off this morning,"Allison Sheppard, ameteorologist at Environment Canada's Gander Weather Office, told the St. John's Morning Show.

"If you weren't in the winter spirit, I guess the snow might help," she said.

Winds won't be picking up much speed during the day, she said, making blowing snow less of a concern.

Delayed schools, rough roads

Courts, government offices and all schools in the St. John's metro area hada delayed opening.

• Our Storm Centre track closures and delays as they roll in

A number of flights at the St. John's International Airport have were cancelled or delayed and snowplows were out in full force in the St. John's metro area.

Police warned drivers to be careful on the roads.

Holyrood RCMPsaidtwo tractor-trailers were stuck in the eastbound land of the Trans-Canada Highway early Fridaymorning,east of the Holyrood Access Road, making the road temporarilyimpassable at the Foxtrap Access Road.

Snow started falling in St. John's around 5:30 p.m. Thursday,as a weather system sweptacross the island.

Closures began early on Thursday, with Paradise and Mount Pearl cancelling garbage collection and closing all town facilities in advance of the snow.

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