Snowstorm closes schools across Nova Scotia

Crews are out across the province clearing roads and sidewalks after a storm blanketed Nova Scotia in up to 40 centimetres of snow overnight and into Thursday morning.

The snow prompted all schoolsto cancelclasses for the day, and several universities have closed or delayed openingthis morning.

Many daycares, government offices and business are also closed or have delayed openings.

Snow started in the southwestern part of the province on Wednesday and spread eastwardthroughout the evening.

According to CBC meteorologist Ryan Snoddon, up to 40 centimetres fell in some areas of the province.

Winter storm warnings and snowfall warnings have ended for all regions, but strong winds and low temperatures remain. Gusts up to 80 km/hr are expected in Cape Breton this afternoon and evening, and Environment Canada is calling for flurries and a risk of snow squalls in some parts of the island.

Several flights in and out of the Halifax Stanfield International Airport and the J.A. Douglas McCurdy airport in Sydney this morning were cancelled. By early afternoon, most flights out of the Halifax airport were scheduled to depart on time, but several incoming flights were delayed or cancelled.

Marine Atlanticpostponed some crossings between North Sydney and Port aux Basques, N.L. on Thursday.

Cape Breton Transit suspended service at6:15 a.m. Thursday, but will resume operations at 3 p.m. Halifax Transitalso suspended service Thursday morning, but resumed service atnoon.

Halifax Regional Municipality operations

The municipality says itworkedwith the province and community-based agencies and service providers to provide temporary emergency shelter to people living in homeless encampments.

An emergency shelter was open overnight, providing comfort kits, a meal and a shower to those who needed them. Shelter occupants will be offered a ride to a comfort centre, which will be open today from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Search and rescue crews have been visiting known locations of homeless encampments to offer people a ride to comfort centres.

Municipal crews are out applying de-icing substances to sidewalks and streets.

Garbage, recycling and green bin pickups scheduled today have been cancelled and rescheduled for Saturday.

In Halifax, two separatewater main breaks shut down traffic early Thursday morningand disrupted water service to two Halifax neighbourhoods.

A water main break overnight opened ahole andclosed part of Herring Cove Road near DentithRoad, Halifax Regional Police said in a news release.Halifax Water said in an email about 7,000 service connections are impacted in Spryfield and neighbouring areas and service isn't expected to be restored until 8 p.m.

There is a separate break onMcFatridge Road in Fairview affecting about 20 service connections.

A full analysis of the system is needed to identify what caused the breaks, Halifax Water spokesman Jake Fulton told CBC News. However, he said significant temperature changes can contribute to the issue.

"So we saw 13, 14 degrees Celsius earlier in the week and then [a drop] to -10," Fulton said."Those sorts of significant changes often cause water main breaks."