Snowfall in Nova Scotia forces school closures and early dismissals amid winter storm

A spring snowfall has forced school closures and early dismissals across parts of Nova Scotia as a winter storm moves through the region.

Several school districts announced closures on Monday due to worsening conditions. All schools in the South Shore Regional Centre for Education were closed, along with schools in Shelburne County under the Tri-County Regional Centre for Education.

In Cape Breton, most schools under the Cape Breton-Victoria Regional Centre for Education dismissed students one hour early, except for those located north of Smokey.

Other districts also reported early dismissals or cancellations, including in Strait Regional Centre for Education.

The storm began Sunday evening and is expected to bring between 10 and 20 centimetres of snow to some areas.

CBC meteorologist Ryan Snoddon said winds will also be a concern.

He said northeasterly winds would gust 50 to 70 km/h for most areas, with higher gusts expected in some regions, leading to blowing and drifting snow.

Snoddon added that areas such as Antigonish, Guysborough and Cape Breton could see stronger winds of up to 80 km/h as the system moves through.

Snowfall is expected to ease later on Monday, turning to flurries overnight, although some areas may continue to see snow into Tuesday morning.