Flights Canceled At Halifax Airport As Storm Hits Atlantic Provinces

January 1, 2009 3:50 p.m. EST

Halifax, Nova Scotia (AHN) - On the first day of 2009, snow and high winds hit the Maritime provinces which resulted in power outages and canceled flights.

Among the Canadian airports where flights were reported canceled were those at Halifax Stanfield International Airport and the Charlottetown Airport. Meanwhile, the Confederation Bridge was closed to vehicles with high sides including trucks, tractor trailers and buses.

Blizzard conditions are being experienced in the eastern portion of Nova Scotia and Cape Breton with the two areas expected to receive up to 60 centimeters of snow.

Nova Scotia Power spokeswoman Glennie Langille said its crew is rushing power line repairs to restore electricity to over 2,600 affected customers.

Following the winter storm, Halifax City Mayor Peter Kelly announced the postponement of the New Year Eve's party at city hall to Jan. 4, Sunday, 2 to 4 p.m. "We certainly do not want citizens on the roads during bad weather, so in the interest of public safety, we are rescheduling the New Year's Levee... We hope to see a good turn out on Sunday to celebrate the New Year a little later than usual," Kelly said in a statement.

Aside from Nova Scotia, Western Newfoundland and Labrador is expected to be hit by heavy snowfall, particularly the Stephenville area where snow is expected to fall at two centimeters every 60 minutes.