Winter Storm Batters Nova Scotia, Causing Widespread Power Outages and School Closures

Heavy Snowfall Blankets Province

Nova Scotia experienced a significant winter storm on Monday, January 19, 2026, which delivered a substantial amount of wet and dense snow across the province. Most areas recorded between 15 to 20 centimetres of snowfall. Higher elevations in Cumberland and Colchester counties saw accumulations closer to 30 centimetres, while some coastal parts of Halifax received around 10 centimetres. Environment Canada had issued a yellow snowfall warning, forecasting 15 to 25 centimetres for much of Nova Scotia.

Massive Power Disruptions Reported

The heavy, sticky snow caused extensive damage to the power infrastructure, resulting in widespread electricity outages. At its peak on Monday morning, approximately 130,000 Nova Scotia Power customers were without power. The Halifax area and western Nova Scotia were particularly hard-hit, with about 65,000 outages concentrated in Halifax alone. Nova Scotia Power's director of customer care, Chris Lanteigne, indicated that the heavy, wet snow caused trees and branches to fall onto power lines and accumulated on power equipment. By early afternoon, the number of affected customers had decreased to between 60,000 and 62,000, though some residents were advised that restoration efforts could extend into Tuesday. The utility activated its emergency operations centre at 6 a.m. on Monday to coordinate restoration efforts.

Schools and Universities Closed Across Nova Scotia

In response to the severe weather and hazardous conditions, public schools throughout Nova Scotia were closed for the day. This included all schools under the Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE), the South Shore Regional Centre for Education, and the Tri-County Regional Centre for Education. Several post-secondary institutions also announced closures, including:

• Dalhousie University
• Mount Saint Vincent University (also experienced power outages)
• Saint Mary's University (also experienced power outages)
• Numerous Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) campuses

Other institutions, such as St. F.X. University and Acadia University, delayed their openings.

Challenging Road Conditions and Travel Impacts

The winter storm significantly impacted transportation across the province. Halifax police temporarily closed a section of Highway 118 outbound after several large trucks became stuck, blocking the roadway. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) issued warnings to drivers and reported multiple collisions on Highway 104 in Cumberland County and Highway 102 in Colchester County. Roads were widely reported as snow-covered and slippery, making morning commutes difficult. Halifax Transit buses operated on snow plans, which involved rerouting services around particularly problematic areas.