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Ice storm moves into the Maritimes, causes sporadic power outages and school closures

HALIFAX — A huge ice storm that knocked out power for hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in Ontario and Quebec descended on the Maritimes overnight, cutting power in some areas and forcing school closures and delays across the region.
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A man attempts to remove a fallen tree branch as it blocks a sidewalk following an accumulation of freezing rain in Montreal, Wednesday, April 5, 2023. A huge ice storm that knocked out power for hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in Ontario and Quebec descended on the Maritimes overnight, knocking out power in some areas and forcing school closures and delays across the region. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

HALIFAX — A huge ice storm that knocked out power for hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in Ontario and Quebec descended on the Maritimes overnight, cutting power in some areas and forcing school closures and delays across the region.

In Nova Scotia, early morning commuters were met with treacherous conditions, and most of the power outages were reported in the Truro area and the Annapolis Valley — though the blackouts didn't last long.

The story was much the same in New Brunswick, where school closures and bus delays were reported, particularly in the northern reaches of the province.

In P.E.I., schools delayed opening but the temperature was on the rise by 10 a.m. and the ice melted away.

All freezing rain warnings were lifted across the region by that time, except in Nova Scotia's Queens County.

Across the Maritimes, rain and drizzle is in the forecast for the rest of the day.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 6, 2023.

The Canadian Press

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