Maritimes and Quebec winter storm forces travel cancellations

Roads remainpacked with ice and snow, and drivers have been asked to stay home if possible, the day after asevere winter storm broughtblizzard conditions across much of the Maritimes and eastern Quebec.

The storm led toflooding, power outagesand near-impossible travel conditions Sunday.

The Trans-Canada Highway, Highway 104, remained shut down Monday morningbetween Truro, N.S., and the New Brunswick border.

Nova Scotia Highway 101 also remained closedbetween Exit 6 and Exit 11 in the Annapolis Valley.

• Storm Centre Nova Scotia
• Storm Centre New Brunswick
• Storm Centre P.E.I.

"All our plows are out if they're not stuck," Barb Bailey, executive director of maintenance for Nova Scotia, said.

Road conditions across the province vary "from treacherous to impassable," he added.

"We've been plowing since the snow started. High, gusting winds prevents us from making much progress. The roads are blown in [with snow] as soon as we open them up."

Eastern Quebec also got hit hard by the storm,withEnvironment Canada issuing weather warnings for much of the region on Monday.

Blizzard conditions and reduced visibility is making travel difficultin the Gasp and Lower North Shore.

In some areas, wind gusts of up to 100 km/h were expected.

Extreme cold warnings arealso in effect in much of the province Monday.

Flights cancelled

Flight cancellations lit up the boards at airports across the Maritimes for most Monday morning flights.

CBC meteorologist Jim Abraham said snow totals were in range of 40 to 60 centimetres in some locations of southern New Brunswick, Prince Edward Islandand more northern parts of NovaScotia on Sunday. Charlottetown recorded 64 centimetres of snow.

Halifax and Sydney saw a variety of precipitation types.

Within the Halifax city limits, snowfalls ranged from 12 centimetres downtown to over 32 centimetres in Hammonds Plains, with as much as 30 millmetres of rainfall along the coast contributing to the road flooding.

Abraham said the low-pressure centre remains over the Gulf of St. Lawrence on Mondaywith very strong west to northwest winds over the region, and snow or flurries. He said extensive blowing and drifting snow is continuing across much of the region, especially in Prince Edward Island and eastern Nova Scotia.

As the storm centre moves slowly northeastward, conditions will gradually improve, said Abraham.

Light snow continues Tuesday

Tuesday will start off fine, Abraham added, but a system will develop and pass south of Nova Scotia.

"Light snow will develop late in the day and into the overnight hours in Nova Scotia," he says.

"Elsewhere, just some cloud is expected. Another disturbance is forecast for Wednesday night into Thursday morning, with what appears to be some more light snow developing over all three provinces."

He said temperatureswill remainwell below normal today andTuesday.