HALIFAX: Nova Scotia began the first full workweek of spring under fresh snow and icy conditions on Monday, as Environment Canada warned that a late-season weather system would bring accumulating snowfall, pockets of freezing rain and gusty winds to parts of the province. Special weather statements covered stretches of the Atlantic coast from Shelburne County through Halifax and into eastern Nova Scotia, with snowfall totals generally ranging from up to 10 centimetres in some western and central coastal areas to 10 to 15 centimetres farther east, with higher amounts possible near the coast.
The snow started in southwestern Nova Scotia on Sunday and pushed east overnight, reaching Halifax by evening and continuing into Monday. In Halifax, the federal weather agency said a prolonged period of snowfall would continue through the day, with snow expected to mix with freezing rain in the morning before intensifying again. Temperatures hovered close to the freezing mark, a setup that kept conditions messy on roads and sidewalks as wet snow accumulated and the icy mix added another hazard for the morning commute.
Environment Canada said the most persistent weather would track along the Atlantic side of the province, with statements in effect for Halifax Metro and Halifax County West, Lunenburg County, Halifax County east of Porters Lake and Guysborough County. Forecast remarks pointed to reduced visibility at times as winds strengthened from the north and northeast, especially in exposed coastal areas. The agency also said snowfall amounts could vary by location, but warned that the combination of heavy, wet snow and wind would make travel conditions difficult in affected regions through much of Monday.
Snow targets coastal and eastern regions
Eastern Nova Scotia was expected to see the longer-lasting and more concentrated snowfall. For the Atlantic coast from Halifax County east to Sydney Metro and Cape Breton County, Environment Canada said 10 to 15 centimetres of snow was likely, with locally higher totals near the coast and the event lasting into later Monday or even Tuesday morning. Forecast details for Sydney called for intermittent snow early Monday, additional accumulation through the day and winds strengthening afterward, a pattern consistent with the broader warning that blowing snow could lower visibility as the system moved through.
The storm also threatened to disrupt transportation at the start of the week. Air Canada included Halifax Stanfield International Airport in its daily travel outlook for March 23 because of snow, warning of possible delays and cancellations. That added to concerns about road travel across central and eastern Nova Scotia, where snowfall was forecast to intensify again during the day. Environment Canada advised residents to keep checking updated alerts and local forecasts as the storm evolved, particularly in communities along the Atlantic coast where snowfall and wind were expected to combine.
Spring start feels more like winter
The return of wintry weather came just days after the official start of spring, underscoring how late-March conditions in Atlantic Canada can still resemble midwinter. While the system’s impact in Nova Scotia was significant enough on its own, forecasts also showed the same broad pattern shifting northeast, with heavier snowfall expected later in Newfoundland and Labrador. In Nova Scotia, however, Monday’s focus remained on the band of snow stretching from the southwest shore through Halifax and into Cape Breton, where near-freezing temperatures kept precipitation heavy and roads slick.
By Monday morning, the message across much of Nova Scotia was clear: the calendar had changed, but the weather had not. Forecasts continued to call for snow, icy mixing in some locations and strengthening winds in others, especially along the coast. For commuters, airport passengers and municipal crews, the first weekday of spring brought another round of cleanup and caution rather than any sign of a seasonal break. – By Content Syndication Services.