An early taste of winter in New Brunswick has left thousands without power and led to some school closures and bus delays.
All buses in the Anglophone South and Anglophone East school districts are running on a one-hour delay but schools are open on time.
In the Francophone South School District, schools in Saint-Louis-de-Kent, Richibucto, Baie-Sainte-Anne, Rogersville, Miramichi, Fredericton and Oromocto are closed. All other schools are open but buses are running on a one-hour delay.
In the Anglophone West School District, all schools are closed with the exception of Saint Mary’s Academy in Edmundston.
The Anglophone North School District has closed schools in Miramichi, Rexton and Bathurst. Schools in Dalhousie and Campbellton remain open.
Environment Canada had been calling for 15 to 20 centimetres of snow across much of New Brunswick — except up to 10 centimetres in the Saint John area — but the totals appear to be considerably less for many.
Around 10 centimetres has fallen at the Greater Moncton International Airport while around four centimetres has been recorded at the Saint John Airport.
Volunteer observers are reporting up to 15 centimetres in the Fredericton region and just a few centimetres in Charlotte County.
Power outages
More than 38,000 homes and businesses across the province were without electricity as of 8:40 a.m. Friday.
There are nearly 16,000 customers affected in the Central York Sunbury district, which includes the Fredericton area.
NB Power is also reporting more than 6,300 customers out in the Greater Moncton area, more than 6,100 in Northumberland Miramichi and more than 4,200 in the Carleton region.
There are also more than 1,600 customers impacted in the Victoria Madawaska region, more than 1,000 in Charlotte Southwest, more than 1,000 in the Chaleur region and nearly 800 in the Kent region.
Nearly 900 homes and businesses are out in the Kings/Queens area and around 400 in the Kennebecasis Valley Fundy region.
Transportation
Some flight cancellations are being reported at the airports in Moncton, Fredericton and Saint John, so it is best to check ahead if you do have travel plans on Friday.
Driving conditions are not great in some regions — roads are slushy and covered in heavy wet snow, according to New Brunswick 511.
Be sure to give yourself some extra time when you head to work or school.
Meanwhile, Highway 1 westbound near Apohaqui was blocked for some time on Thursday evening after several transport trucks appeared to get stuck.
A large Irving Oil transport truck was partially off the road, and two other trucks were also stopped nearby, blocking both westbound lanes.
The RCMP was on the scene and coordinated to bring snow plows on the road in the opposite direction of typical traffic flow.
