Strong winds, snow squalls close schools, wreak havoc across Newfoundland

Someschools were closed inNewfoundlandMonday morning due to blowing snow, whileother partsof the island were battered by winds that delayed flights, damaged buildings and knocked out power.

• Storm Centre Newfoundland west
• Storm Centre Newfoundland east
• Storm Centre: central Newfoundland
• Storm Centre: closures in Labrador

Some schools across Newfoundland and Labrador were closed for the day Monday, due to weather conditions.

MUN's Grenfell Campus and College of the North Atlantic in Corner Brook were also closed for the morning, but reopened for the afternoon.

Wind gusts

Wicked wind

9 years ago

Duration 1:04

High winds caused trouble Monday morning on the Avalon.

Eastern Newfoundland is beingbattered by high winds Monday morning, which have caused power outages and travel delays.

Schools on the Burin Peninsula and on the southern Avalon have also been closed for the morning with updates at 10:30 a.m.

Winds were so strong that a portion of the roof on Frank Roberts Junior High in Conception Bay South blew off.

Power outages

Just after 4 a.m., Newfoundland Power was reporting a large power outage in the east end of St. John's as a result of what it was calling severe weather conditions.

Crews were on still on site at 5:30 a.m. trying to restore electricity to theTorbay Road, Logy Bay Road, MacDonald Drive, Pleasantville Avenue and Bally Haly areas.

Newfoundland Power's websitewas showing that servicehad been restored to most of the east end of St. John's by 6:20 a.m.

Around 9:22 a.m., power was also knocked out in the Goulds, Bay Bulls Road, Shoal Bay Road, Cleary Drive and Keith Drive due to severe weather. Newfoundland Power says it expects power to be restored by 10:30 a.m.

Crews are also making emergency repairs, after power outages on Jackman Drive and Ruby Line.

The weather also causedoutages in theSt. Mary's and Middle Gull Pond areas.

Building damage

The winds also caused damage to buildings, including loosening siding panels on theField House at Memorial University.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary closed Westerland road to traffic8 a.m., due to blowing debris, and MUN announced a short time later the Field House and Aquarena would be closed for the morning.

Travel delays

At St. John's International Airport, over a dozen departing flights were cancelled overnightand into Monday morning.

The high winds werealso causing problemswith Marine Atlantic ferries, with the Mondaymorningcrossings from both Port aux Basques and North Sydneybeingcancelled.

Wind speeds were consistentlyblowing at 67 km/h at theairport in St. John's throughout the morning, with gusts at times reaching up to 118km/h.

Environment Canada had dozensof special weather advisories in effect for much of Newfoundland and Labrador on Monday, with wind warnings combining with winter storm and snow squall warnings in some areas.

Blowing a gale

9 years ago

Duration 1:40

Reporter Terry Roberts went looking for and found heavy wind on Thorburn Road.