Freezing rain expected for Halifax; schools dismissing students early

The bulletin from the national forecaster states that the freezing rain will be preceded by accumulating snow and ice pellets, which are likely to exacerbate hazards for motorists during the afternoon commute.

Conditions will improve into Thursday evening as temperatures rise well above zero and precipitation transitions to rain. Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways, and parking lots may become icy and slippery, and utility outages may occur.

Allister Aalders, 95.7 NewsRadio Weather Specialist, said precipitation on Thursday will begin around noon with flurries. From 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., it will switch over, first to ice pellets and then to freezing rain, creating slippery road conditions during the afternoon commute.

“Precipitation amounts will not be significant,” said Aalders, “but this will be problematic for the afternoon commute.”

“You will want to use extra caution on the roads and sidewalks today, tonight, and tomorrow morning,” he noted.

Aalders also mentioned that winds will pick up on Thursday. Strong winds are expected to begin ranging from 40-60 km/h, increasing to 70 km/h later in the day.

A municipal parking ban is coming into effect for both Zone 1 central and Zone 2 non-central for Friday Feb. 14 between 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.

“Vehicles must be parked off municipal streets during the hours noted above,” it reads.

Weather Forecast

Conditions are expected to improve into the evening and overnight hours as temperatures rise and the freezing rain switches over to showers.

“The entire eastern half of the country is going to be seeing something from this by the time we reach Friday,” meteorologist Ian Hubbard said in an interview from the Atlantic storm prediction centre in Halifax, to The Canadian Press.

The centre of the low-pressure system moved over Toronto starting Wednesday afternoon, to Montreal and Quebec City early Thursday before it is in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and on to western Newfoundland.

Closures/ cancellations in Halifax

Halifax Regional Centre for Education has announced that all schools will dismiss students two hours earlier than their regular dismissal time.

Elsewhere, all schools within the Tri-County and Annapolis Valley Regional Centre for Education are closed for the day today.

Schools with the South Shore Regional Centre for Education are dismissing three hours early all Chignecto central schools in Colchester County, Cumberland County, Pictou County and the Municipality of East Hants will dismiss two hours earlier than their regular dismissal times today.

• Halifax Public Libraries will close all branches at 1 p.m.
• Dalhousie and Saint Mary’s Universities will close at 1 p.m.
• Mount Saint Vincent University will close at 1:30 p.m.
• Nova Scotia Community College in the Halifax area will close at 12:30 p.m.