The good news is the worst of the snowstorm is over.
The bad news is winds will continue out of the north in the long-range forecast, which doesn’t bode well for spring-like weather anytime soon.
That’s the word from Environment Canada this afternoon as many people on P.E.I. dig out from Old Man Winter’s latest storm.
Herb Thoms, meteorologist with Environment Canada, said they measured 15 centimetres at the Charlottetown Airport as of noon today. The amount of snow increased as you went east.
Thoms said they don’t have any accurate measurements in eastern P.E.I. yet but he estimates eastern Queens County and Kings County received anywhere from 20-30 centimetres of snow.
Think Islanders had it bad? Consider folks in Sydney, N.S., are digging out from under 40 centimetres.
“As far as snow goes the worst of it is over and the winds will continue to drop out slowly,’’ Thoms told The Guardian. “This is a very intense system. Some very strong winds.’’
Winds were gusting in eastern P.E.I. at 80 kilometres an hour in exposed areas and 55-70 kilometres in other areas. Those will diminish slowly throughout the day.
Thoms said they have unofficial numbers in western Newfoundland and Labrador of gusts as strong as 179 kilometres an hour.
“I saw on Twitter that somebody’s patio blew over the roof of the house. That’s how strong the winds got on the west coast of the island there.’’
Tonight’s forecast calls for local blowing snow with winds 40-70 and the low dipping to minus-3 degrees Celsius.
Saturday’s forecast is mainly cloudy and a 60 per cent chance of flurries. Winds will be southwest 20-40 km/h, becoming light in the afternoon and a high of plus-2.
Many cancellations were announced across the province, including closures of Holland College and UPEI, Veterans Affairs Canada, P.E.I. government offices in Kings and Queens counties, and Service Canada offices in eastern P.E.I.
The City of Charlottetown's Offices are closed today due to storm conditions. Essential services, such as police, fire and public works, will remain operational.
In addition to the weather, Tryon area residents had to deal with a power outage. Approximately 1,100 customers lost their electricity at mid-morning following an accident when a motor vehicle left the road and crashed into an electrical pole.
Areas with power include North Tryon, Hampton, Westmoreland, Inkerman Road, County Line Road, Crapaud, Victoria, Lower Tryon and some surrounding areas.
Crews are currently on site replacing the damaged pole and are working to restore power to all customers, said Maritime Electric spokesperson Kris Jackson.
