Winter wallop hits western Newfoundland

In the wake of the snow's arrival, police across Newfoundland were issuing traffic warnings on Wednesday afternoon.

The RCMP outside of St. John's said late Wednesday afternoon that conditions on the Trans-Canada Highway between St. John's and Whitbourne were extremely slippery, and the area is experiencing whiteout conditions.

Motorists are being encouraged to reduce speeds if they are out on the roads.

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Some schools in western Newfoundland closed for the day, while some central and eastern schools decided to close for the afternoon.

In the St. John's metro area, schools closed one hour early, and afternoon kindergarten classes were cancelled.

Rough conditions throughout island

The southwest area of Newfoundland is having a rough day, and Environment Canada has put multiple storm warnings in effect. 

In the Channel-Port aux Basques and Burgeo-Ramea regions, the weather service predicts up to 30 centimetres of snow will fall from early Wednesday afternoon through to Thursday morning.

• Atlantic winter weather causes widespread outages, cancellations
• Winter storm closing in, warnings issued

Southeasterly gusts up to 110 km/h are also expected to develop Wednesday afternoon, shifting some time overnight.

The further west you go, the worse it does get.- Brian Crenna

That could mean blowing snow, which makes for dangerous driving conditions, and Environment Canada warns visibility may suddenly be reduced to zero at times.

"Environment Canada is also calling for high waves and storm surges for Wednesday in Port aux Basques and Burgeo.

A wind warning is in effect for the Wreckhouse area, where gusts up to 140 km/h are expected.

"The further west you go, the worse it does get," Brian Crenna, a meteorologist with the Gander weather office, told CBC Radio's St. John's Morning Show.

"If you go west, the winds pick up and the amount of blowing snow increases so we have blowing snow advisories pretty much everywhere, either that or a winter storm."

Crenna said Deer Lake and La Scie are also under a winter storm warning, with 20 centimetres of snowfall expected, as well as blowing snow.

Marine Atlantic has cancelled crossings between Port aux Basques and North Sydney, N.S., for Wednesday due to the weather conditions.

Residents are being advised to avoid unnecessary travel.

Flurries 'pretty much everywhere'

Meanwhile, other parts of western Newfoundland and the coast of Labrador are under a winter storm warning.

Environment Canada has issued the warning for areas from the Northern Peninsula, down the coast to Burgeo, as well as in Labrador, from Red Bay-L'Anse au Clair up to Hopedale, including Eagle River.

"What will happen tonight, basically the system will move off and it will get replaced by just strong westerly winds and flurries, and that will persist right through tomorrow, right through Thursday," said Crenna.

"Pretty much everywhere will see flurries and strong westerly winds, and Friday and Saturday actually look quite a bit better."

A winter storm watch is also in effect for Upper Lake Melville and Nain.

Pretty much everywhere will see flurries and strong westerly winds.- Brian Crenna

Heavy snow, blowing snow and strong winds will make for winter storm conditions starting late Wednesday afternoon and continue until at least Thursday morning.

Snowfall amounts around 20 centimetres can be expected in most coastal areas, Environment Canada says, with levels reaching 35 centimetres over higher areas of the Trans-Labrador Highway.

A blowing snow advisory has been issued for Bonavista and Burin areas, as well as in the Bay of Exploits, Connaigre and Clarenville. The same blowing snow advisory has been issued for central and parts of the west coast of Newfoundland.

Not much on the Avalon

In St. John's and on the Avalon Peninsula, snow at times mixed with ice pellets and blowing snow is expected to develop Wednesday afternoon, then change to rain or drizzle by the evening.

Snowfall accumulations around five centimetres and southeastern wind gusts to 90 km/h are also expected.

By Wednesday afternoon, blowing snow was lowering visibility on the Avalon peninsula.

For Thursday, Crenna said parts of the province can expect a couple of centimetres of snow, mainly in western and central areas of Newfoundland.

However, for Friday and Saturday, Crenna said the weather is expected to have died out.