Eastern Newfoundland and south coast brace for storm

As parts of Newfoundland and the south coast prepare for heavy winter weather, one woman in charge of snow clearing says St. John's is ready.  

A winter storm warning is in effect for St. John's, the Avalon Peninsula, the Burin Peninsula as well as Clarenville and surrounding areas.

Environment Canada meteorologist Justin Boudreau said that rain throughout the day Thursday will change to snow and ice pellets as temperatures begin to drop around 8 p.m.

A lot of people have to work together to get the job done.- Lynnann Winsor

He said that the snow and ice will continue overnight in to Friday morning and continue for much of the day. The snow is expected to be heavy, with areas further south receiving a mix of snow and freezing rain. 

"You'll have snow blowing around all over the place," he said on CBC Radio's St. John's Morning Show.

Boudreau said that 15 to 30 centimetres of snow can be expected by late Friday afternoon, and winds will gust up to 80 kilometres per hour in some areas.

The City of St. John's has been busy preparing for the expected snow, and new Deputy City Manager of Public Works Lynnann Winsor said all hands are on deck if necessary.

"We have all our winter maintenance operators are on shift now, we have three shifts, ready to go working almost around the clock," she told CBC News on Thursday.

"All of our trucks are ready, everything is topped up with salt, the blades have been attached and we're ready for the snowstorm when it starts."

Winsor said the city has 28 snowclearing routes, with 60 operators on each of the three shifts. There are also other staff that contribute to the effort, such as mechanics and park snowclearing staff who all work together after a snowfall to keep the city's streets and thoroughfares clear for traffic. 

"A lot of people have to work together to get the job done," she said.