Snow, rain and wind make for a messy Wednesday

HRM remains under two weather warnings and a special weather statement as the latest winter storm impacts the region. Wind and rainfall warnings issued on Tuesday remained in place on Wednesday, calling for heavy rain and strong winds.

About 5 cm of snow was expected to fall Wednesday morning before the temperature rises, changing the snow to rain, which could be heavy over the noon hour.  Forecasters say the region should see 30-40 mm of rain through the day Wednesday.

Winds were also forecast to pick up Wednesday morning, gusting to 80 km/h in the morning and as strong as 100 km/h in the afternoon.

In anticipation of those strong winds, Nova Scotia Power opened its emergency operations centre Tuesday afternoon and has positioned crews across the province in an effort to address any power outages.

Environment Canada is also warning that the winds could produce large waves that may cause higher-than-normal water levels along the Atlantic Coast during the tidal cycles between noon Wednesday and noon Thursday. The greatest risk of coastal flooding will be during local high tides during that period.

All Halifax Regional Centre for Education schools were open Wednesday but, all South Shore and Annapolis Valley Regional Centre for Education Schools were shuttered for the day.

Tri County schools in Digby and Yarmouth counties are also closed, but schools in Shelburne county were open. Schools within Strait Regional will to dismiss at noon and buses within the Chignecto Central Regional Centre for Education were running on paved roads only