Blizzard warnings issued for most of the Maritimes on Sunday

Blizzard and winter storm warnings are in effect for all three Maritime provinces on Saturday as a powerful late-season storm approaches the region.

Environment Canada warns the storm will create poor visibility, making travel hazardous.

• Storm Centre: All your Maritime cancellations, road conditions

Kalin Mitchell, a CBC News meteorologist, agrees the region is going to take a hit.

"For snowfall, I'm still looking at eastern areas of P.E.I. and most of Cape Breton seeing higher amounts of 30 cm to 45 cm," said Mitchell.

"Other areas likely to get similar snowfall amounts are Moncton and southeastern New Brunswick to Saint John, and much of the North Shore and Eastern Shore of mainland Nova Scotia."

In preparation, the city of Halifax has implemented its overnight winter parking ban.

This marks the 31st time the parking ban has been used in the city, with 9,308 tickets issued and 58 towed vehicles at last count. Included in that was thesocial media favourite #IceCar that sat frozen in time on RobieStreet for days.

Cape Breton Regional Police asked residents on Saturday to plan ahead and avoid driving during the height of the storm. They also implemented parking restrictions in the municipality from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. as well as during the storm and two hours after the snow stops falling.

Blizzard warnings are issued when the forecast calls for high winds and reduced visibility of under 400 metres, expected for at least four hours.

"Winds are going to be strong and gusty out of the east and northeast for much of the Maritimes," said Mitchell. "Southern New Brunswick, P.E.I. and all of Nova Scotia will experience some wind gusts between 50 km/h to 80 km/h."

Conditions are expected to improve by overnight Sunday.

Air Canada and WestJet are waiving ticket change fees in advance of the storm. Anyone planning to fly into or out of an airport in the Maritimes on Sunday can contact the airline to rebook without penalty.