Extreme snowfall in Nova Scotia has left the province paralyzed.  Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston says the snowstorm, the worst the province has seen in 20 years, can be added to a growing list of weather-related disasters that have beset the area since September 2022, when post-tropical storm Fiona made landfall.  That devastating storm was followed last year by the largest wildfires in the province’s recorded history, in May and June, and widespread flooding in July.   According to preliminary reports, between 30 and 50 centimetres fell across Halifax, but 84 centimetres was reported at Halifax Stanfield International Airport, only 30 kilometres away.

Sydney was hit hardest, where 150 cm of snow was recorded from Friday through Monday.  That prompted a local state of emergency to be declared by the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.   The Pictou area saw about 65 cm of snow, while 45cm of snow was recorded in Truro.

 

As of 4:00am this morning, Nova Scotia Power was reporting 139 outages affecting more than 11-hundred customers.  The majority of those outages are in Cape Breton, but there are also outages this morning in Pictou, Guysborough and Antigonish Counties..

 

Nova Scotia Health is advising that some non-emergency services will continue to be reduced in Eastern and Northern zones due to the heavy snow and road conditions.   Services and programs in the Northern Zone will largely operate business as usual today.  Nova Scotia Health says efforts are underway to restore normal operations, but some service reductions may continue.  Surgery cases at the regional hospitals will be assessed individually to determine whether they can proceed, and patients will be contacted directly.   Some patients may be contacted in the case of cancellations or to offer a virtual alternative.

 

R-C-M-P are continuing their investigation into a suspicious death that

occurred in Paq’tnkek on Sunday. Police say they responded to a report of a sudden death at a home in Antigonish County and found that a 40-year-old Paq’tnkek man had

died.

A 27-year-old man who was known to the victim was arrested at the scene and is in custody.

Investigators do not believe this was a random act, and say there’s no risk to the public.

 

West Jet’s summer schedule will include transatlantic flights between Halifax and Dublin, Edinburgh and London.

The airline says seasonal non-stop flights will also resume this summer between Toronto and Moncton, Charlottetown and Deer Lake, Newfoundland and Labrador.

It will also introduce direct flights between Calgary and Deer Lake.

WestJest says it is increasing capacity from Halifax Stanfield International Airport by 44 per cent this summer compared to last, and by 60 per cent from the St. John’s International Airport.